Be careful what you wish for.

Posted on December 16th, 2010 | 240 Comments |

Is Ashley selling up?
Is Ashley selling up?
I’ve noticed that there seems to be a bit of momentum gathering pace with regard to the Qatar royal family wanting to buy Newcastle.

Questionable source after questionable source has now reported the ‘news’, but I personally remain sceptical of the whole thing to be honest.

Many of these stories are cooked up with the intent of causing unrest amongst fans in the hope of us supplying them with their next story – we’ve been here before remember. This is why it is amusing me when I read comments from people who are getting all starry-eyed at the prospect of a mega-rich tycoon takeover. My message is simple – be careful what you wish for!

I’m no fan of Mike Ashley, but then who is to say that the next owners would be any better? There seems to be a view that any potential new owner would willingly splash the cash, and that same view was shared when Ashley took over Newcastle three-and-a-half years ago. See my point?

Then you look at the likes of Blackburn, who have become the latest Premier League club to be backed by overseas investors. These Qatari fellows could just as easily be as barmy as the chicken chaps from Venky’s that are trotting out ‘innovative’ new theories on an almost daily basis whilst admitting that they haven’t really got a clue about football.

Then there is Manchester City, who are trying desperately to steal our ‘comedy club’ label. Would paying players like Gareth Barry and Joleon Lescott an obscene amount of money to under-perform each week really appease Newcastle fans? To some it might, but not all.

Throwing money around left, right and centre is something that should become rarer over the next few years when the new Financial Fair Play rules come into effect. Football clubs will have to learn to live within their means – a strange concept I know – and only spend only what they can afford.

The bottom line is that each person will have their own opinion on this, but I have reservations. I highly doubt that there is any truth in this anyway, but it gives us something to think about as we await the football at the weekend.

Let us know what you think.

P.S – It’s been one year since I started writing for NUFCBlog.org. Here is to the next!

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

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Comment on this post

240 Responses

  1. IF there IS new potential owner for newcastle,as long as he throw sensible money and wages to a proven,quality player. I don’t mind. ;)

  2. I’d be happy for someone to come in & invest in the clubs youth policy & maybe overall the first team but I wouldn’t want them to be like Manc Citey, thats stupidity imo!!

    As long as they keep our best players, get rid of the drift wood, buy young players & bring them thru, put a wage cap of say £75k on weekly wages & say £50m in the transfer windoes if needed, then thats good for the club, because we have a world wide fan base, a massive stadium & the 3rd-4th largest weekly attendance which will promote their WC2022 for them… :)

  4. Hey toonsy,
    Maybe you could start a poll.
    Who would you prefer?
    1) Mike Ashley
    2) An owner willing to sanction the purchase of an all star squad like Man City.

  5. What about a 3rd option for the poll:

    A rich owner who will invest wisely in the team & youth policy, some as rich as Manc Citeys owners but not as stupid.. lol

  6. Yeah toonsy tottaly agree what will lose us this game is lack of effort. I think they are about the lowest scoring team in the league and got outplayer by WOLVES in the last game. If we put in the effort we have more than enough quality to beat them.

    They have had good home form up to now but I think they are due a patch where they really struggle and get sucked into the relegation zone. They had that good season where they did really well and suprised everyone but I don’t think their one of those teams that will survive in the prem for more than a few years.

  7. we’re on the right track, the business plan we actually have for the club seems pretty sound to all concerned, Ashley just needs some football guidence, like people have been talling him for years.

    People are forgetting though, season after next when Fifa’s new rules come into play about owners being able to put £15 mil a season I think it was, and £12 mil the season after that, big fees may soon be a thing of the 2010’s…….

  10. Sunlounger: I’d seriously go for option 1 every time. Toonsy’s right: rich owners are generally just as annoying and useless as poor ones; they’re just able to make bigger, more expensive mistakes. As we’ve seen.

    But the main reason I’d not want the Qataris is this: even if you do then win stuff, so what? I’ve no respect for anything Chelski have won since the Russian blood money arrived, and will have none for Citeh if they ever manage to win anything before the owners get bored and leave the club to go bankrupt while they move on, toddler-stylie, to their next favourite toy.

    Nope, I’d be happy to see Ashley sell, but only to someone with more football experience who will continue his main policy of working within the club’s means.

  12. Whumpie says:
    December 16, 2010 at 3:45 pm
    “Nope, I’d be happy to see Ashley sell, but only to someone with more football experience who will continue his main policy of working within the club’s means.”

    Know the problem with that though mate, if we got a bid from someone, and it was the amount wanted, you think Ashley would stop for a minute and think, ‘hmmm I wonder if they are the best thing for the club and will uphold the game and the club with the upmost integrity?’

    errrr no, he would snap their hands off and run. As said in the thread, we DO need to be careul what we wish for!

    On another note, saw some stuff on twitter, quote from Pardew to journos which I can find on the net so thought i’d put them on here:

    Pardew: “It’s great to have the two centre-halves available. There’s real strength there, but I already know the team I want to pick.”

    Pardew: “I’ve now seen three quarters of the games from this season on TV. We’re doing great, buy I’ve identified areas to improve.”

    Pardew: “we have to make sure the character of the player here can carry the shirt. It can be a very heavy shirt”

  13. Interesting quotes, ILM; not sure what to make of them yet!

    Also, I think you’re dead right about Ashley selling to whoever has the cash; you can’t give someone the schtick we have and expect them to act otherwise. Hopefully the Qatari story is all boswellox anyway.

  14. Whumpie says:
    December 16, 2010 at 3:45 pm

    I assume you have no repsect for any football team that has won anything in the last 15/20 yrs then? After all they’ve all soent huge amounts of money, Arsenal maybe the exception but they’ve won nothing since they stopped spending.

  15. I think there’s nothing better than success with a home grown team including some real thrifty buys. Thats the sign of a good manager, not just going out and buying David Silva, Yaya Toure etc etc.

    I love the situation at Newcastle how the majority of the team are Northern English lads, this creates great team spirit for a start and I am Northern English. I would absolutely hate mega rich foreign owners at Newcastle.

    They should introduce rules where you have to name home grown local talent in your 16 on the team sheet. We’d be alright with Harps, Tayls and Carroll!

  16. Well if you look at Man City its hardly been the dream story of success. They just seem to have loads of overpaid primadonna’s spittin their dummies out at every opportunity. Still not even in champions league beaten to it by A’rry with half the money.

  17. As I said on a site yesterday which was debating the rights and wrongs of the Tevez situation at City, I’d rather we bought wisely and integrated those players into the overall squad (with no issues, no egos and no cliques) than just throw money at whoever appears to be flavour of the month.

    That’s just buying the League title in instalments.

  18. Aye, I’d have to stay as much as I despise Ashley and his antics, especially more recently after the sacking of hughton, I’d still rather have the team we have now in place of Man city. It seems a cheap (no pun intended) way of gaining success, and I’d much prefer we follow the “Arsenal” model like Ashley seems to be pushing for..rather than completely feck ourselves over like Man City and then come under the new spending regulations and find ourselves with a sh1te owner and financial meltdown. Stick with the devil you know unfortunately…We’ve had too much messing around lately.

  19. The thing with the qatari’s is that they would throw massive money into the club ala man city but would then leave just as the world cup 2022 is finished and leave us with a bigger problem than FFS left us in . I dont like Ashley but he is slowly getting us out of debt and although he has made some terrible mistakes it could still turn out for the best in the end . Getting a chairman in that understands how to communicate would be a good start .

  20. Isn’t it strange how no one had really seen Ashley when he was building up Sports Direct? He was an enigma apparantly and didnt go to any social functions or really show his face at meetings.

    We have to remember the shambles Fat Freddie left us in as well! I am still buzzing about the acquisitions of HBA and Tiote, if only Hatem was fit!
    Any news on when he is expected back?

  22. Happy anniversary Toonsy!
    As difficult as it is to accept especially after the recent goings on, I would be willing to keep Ashley rather than a Man City type situation which is likley to implode sometime soon.
    Just look at the investment Ashley has had to put in to stop us going to the wall. WE seem to be making slow steady progress from a financial perspective, why screw it up by wishing for an unknown quantity. Better the devil you know. Now if he could just give us a chairman we could warm to and would communicate that would make everyone feel a whole lot better but im not holding my breath.

  23. “It’s a heavy shirt, the Newcastle shirt. I am looking at the group and you can take it as read that the Bartons and Nolans, it fits comfortably. And Andy Carroll, his shirt fits and has got a big number nine on it, which carries its own weight.”

    Pardew seems to know the craic like. Iv’e been impressed with what he’s said particularly about bring in players who can carry the pressure like Barton and Nolan.

  24. Tell you what, I’m pleasantly surprised by the amount of bloggers that share the same views as myself. It is just so much more satisfying when you are building your team up slowly, and respectably. I would rather we build ourselves up to become a top 8 team than simply buy our way into the top 4.

  25. Thank you Deb :)

    I understand about the chairman who will communicate bit, but again it’s a case of be careful what you wish for.

    Most people liked Chris Mort as he was a likeable chap who spoke to people, but it’s also he who changed the management structure to include a DOF, whichmeant that Wise turned up here and then everything that followed. People forget that as he flanneled people off with cheap talk.

  26. DJG

    Yes, Pardew definitely has a way with words, which is probably why the scumback has wormed his way into so many of his colleagues’ wives knickers. Not that I give a toss. I don’t care about his “extra curricular” activities.

  28. Funny how people think they can pick and choose their new owners. Whoever buys the club will be of a similar ilk as Ashley. People are making assumptions that any new owners are going to lavish money on the club. They forget why Martin O’Neil left Villa. They forget what the Red Sox owners have said about no money for Liverpool. They forget that Blackburn’s new owners have decided which players they will buy for whoever their new manager is. They forget that Abramovich sacked Ray Wilkins without consultation with his manager. They forget the massive debt that the owners of ManU have built up which requires almost all the clubs annual revenue to pay the annual interest.

    In a few years time rules will only allow clubs to buy players from the money that the clubs generate themselves. The days of massive amounts being given by owners will be over.

    Ashley has made many mistakes but I believe he has learnt many things about running a football club and is now putting the club in the best position to face the future.

    Yes, be careful what you wish for. Sometimes the grass is not always greener.

  29. I often dispair at the posts on here from those who think spending loads of money is the answer to anything. At best it buys you meaningless success, and at worst it can destroy your club.

  30. Dunno if anyone seen this or its been reported anywhere , this is off my employers staff webpage so cant give a link

    Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has identified where the squad he inherited from Chris Hughton needs to be reinforced.

    With the winter transfer window due to open in little more than a fortnight, Pardew has used his first full week at the helm to run the rule over what he already has and get an idea of what he may need to add to his resources.

    While he is happy with what he has seen, and in particular with the senior players, he will attempt to persuade owner Mike Ashley and managing director Derek Llambias there is room for improvement.

    Pardew said: “I think I am pretty clear in my mind of a couple of areas that need strengthening.

    “As a general rule, you get a feeling about who is going to fit the right criteria to play for this big club.

    “It’s a big club. You bring professionals here and you are in danger of the club being bigger than the individual, and you have to make sure that the character of the players, first and foremost, can carry the shirt.

    “It’s a heavy shirt, the Newcastle shirt. I am looking at the group and you can take it as read that the Bartons and Nolans, it fits comfortably, and Andy Carroll, his shirt fits and has got a big number nine on it, which carries its own weight.

    “That’s something that when I sit down with Derek and the chief scout and all my staff to talk about the January window and the window going forward, that will be top of the list.”

    Hughton had been told in no uncertain terms that his rebuilding work for the season had to be done last summer, and he had no plans for a dip back into the market next month.

    However, Pardew was confident the day he was unveiled at St James’ Park that he would be able to argue his case with Ashley, and he remains optimistic.

    He said: “I just feel that won’t be an issue, other than a financial issue.

    “Of course, there is always somebody who is out of reach or not quite right and the deal doesn’t make any sense, their age of whatever.

    “You have to work through that with the owners, and I have no problem with that.”

    Pardew’s comments came amid reports that the Qatar Foundation could be ready to make Ashley an offer for the club.

    There has been no contact as yet, and sources on Tyneside have insisted the club, which was taken off the market for the second time in October last year, is not for sale.

    But all that will have little bearing on Pardew as he attempts to hit the ground running by reviewing the season to date.

    He said: “I have watched three-quarters of the games now, there are maybe only a couple to go, and analysed some things we can improve on, and that’s something I will present to the players in the next seven days.

    “There are definitely areas for improvement, in my opinion, with all teams.

    “With this team and where they are, they have done terrifically so far. We just want to add a few things and see if we can try to improve on that.”

    Despite adding Steve Stone and Willie Donachie to his coaching team this week, Pardew has yet to appoint a number two – Chris Powell and Ray Lewington are understood to be among the names in the frame – although that is a decision he will not rush.

    He said: “It is going to be very important to me and to Steve Stone in particular that we get the right person for this job.”

    Pardew will be boosted for Saturday’s Barclays Premier League trip to Birmingham by the return of Steve Harper from injury and Mike Williamson and Fabricio Coloccini from suspension, although Sol Campbell is a doubt through illness while Shola Ameobi is struggling with a hamstring strain

  31. Whumpie

    Agree, our previous owners are probably the best example of massive spending and they never got anywhere near to reaching meaningless.

  32. Whumpie

    Agree, our previous owners are probably the best example of massive spending and they never got anywhere near to reaching meaningless success.

  33. I would take a coalition of The Chuckle Brothers, them two 118 blokes (even if it had to be the animated version) and the entire cast of voice-over actors from Sesame Street if it meant I didn’t have to look at Ashley and Lambiarse again ever!!!

    Big Bird might not want to go to the Blackburn away game though in case Venkys spot it :)

  34. I’ve been trying to post a link to a story on the mirror site. Bent waxes lyrical about pardew. It’s fairly encouraging but my post won’t post. Check it out. Would love to see bent swap his red for black

  35. If anyone seriously prefers an owner like Mike Ashley than Man City owners then you are mad!
    Within 3 yrs they will be champions league winners and we will be swapping managers for the tenth time!
    Absolute morons and you know who yous are!

  36. bull sht no.9

    Their owners have been there 3 years and they cannot even get INTO the champions league. Even if they do they will come up against a far superior team from the continent, they struggled to beat us 2-1 at home with help from the ref ffs.

  37. bsn9,
    their owners are total idiots, just like every football club owner. they think that playing fantasy league football in real life works. It doesn’t. Actually building a team is essential! That’s why ManU is so dominant right now, their team has been together for so long that you can’t break their spirit. That’s the main thing that NUFC has going for us right now. We have a very strong team spirit.

  38. I think those words from Pardew about the shirt being heavy with NUFC being such a big club could be a clue that he’ll be trying to offload the lads who can’t handle the big-time pressure: Perch, Best, Xisco, etc. Selling those guys could help him to getting players with character and ability. We need wingers. That HAS to be the first place he looks to strengthen.

    Also, we’ll hopefully get another left back!

  39. We all know that the cure can be worse than the illness. In our case, however, the illness is terminal. Sure, there’s always a chance of worse ownership but c’mon. There’s also the possibility that knowledgeable ownership could emerge. I’d rather go with the risk of new owners than stay with that fat f***.

  40. I would like to see him sell the deadwood that still has a scrap of value ‘big name’ like Smith, and Taylor because he clearly doesn’t want to be here and upsets the harmony within the dressing room anyway. Players who have no saleable value like Xisco and Best we are gonna have to keep. Once Gosling and Benny are back that will make a difference we don’t need much in Jan perhaps a quality forward. Hope he takes his own advice and doesn’t sign any Southampton player because no offense but they certainly wouldn’t be able to carry the shirt.

  41. Toonsy well done Lad ;) I cant believe we have stuck you that long :)
    As for the topic of new owners Sometimes I think that if MA got a football Chairman in it would be one of the best things he could do, but I think thats just wishful thinking as I think we’re stuck with Owl heed.
    Would I like new owners that would spend money YES would I like new owners that would try to buy the league ie Shitty NO.

  42. congrats toonsy on the anniversary. keep up the good work.

    agree with many of the posters on here that wouldn’t mind the money owners, as long as they continued to buy sensible. i think citys problem was that they wanted to simply look flashy, so they bought big names with little thought towards a balanced squad. if you spend money wisely in areas that need it, getting a player who will fit with your current group and improve the overall team, while at the same time investing in youth, it’s the way forward – especially with the financial restrictions coming into effect soon.

  44. I would quite like Kevin Doyle. He is rotting away in that pathetic Wolves team and would be a great partner for our large forwards. He also seems like he would fit in well with our current group.

  45. Well done Toonsy….or is that well done us ;-)
    agree with Dave@ 41

    Anyone head owt from Ice?

  46. My jury is well and truely still out on Ashley. On the one hand he seems like a raving loony, making insane decisions, hiring his gambling buddies, etc.
    But on the other hand, you can’t deny that the team would appear to be financially healthier (in times where other teams are on the brink of ruin), and we’re sitting in the top half of the table on the approach to Xmas. We’re arguably in better health as a team than we were two years ago.
    I’m afraid it begs the question: does this Ashley fella actually know a bit more about running a team than we credit him for?
    I’m not saying either way…I’m just putting it out there…

  47. Problem is with MA is that he doesnt explain himself. Although maybe he just thinks ive said what my plans are once, why do it again. Shepard and Hall rinsed everything they could out the club, altho did give us title challenges and european football. That fell apart tho when partizan knocked us out as it wasnt sustainable.
    With ashley all evidence suggests he is that he is doing this for long term and trying to emulate arsenal like he said he would. Nearly all his actions fit in with that. Which if it works is good for the club.

  48. Give me an owner who is prepared to buy good players, whether expensive or cheap.

    If everything is in place the player purchases should be low risk and off set by the success they bring in cups and financial.

  49. I have to give credit to pardew,he is saying all the things I want to hear. Proof is still in the pudding of course

  50. If he wants to go down the path of bringing through local young talent, then the accademy and reserves need to be bucking their ideas up, as they dont seem to be making very much progress with the talent that they have right now. Or am I wrong? The likes of Vukic, Kadar, Ferguson lua lua etc just dont seem to be developing into top quality players. If this is Peter Beardsley’s job, then he needs to pull his finger oot.

  51. id rather ashly stay at least we will b debt free i like the blueprint he has got for the club, see myven moyo playing for reserves tonight bout bloody time

  54. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope they stay the heck away from this club. Just look at ALL the other clubs owned by those people. Manc Al Citeh? Yeah, they’re awesome now. And everybody just LOVES them. I would take a THOUSAND Mike Ashley’s before I’d take ONE Middle-Eastern owner.

    Qatar- F OFF. You stole our world cup bid. Don’t steal our freakin’ club.

  55. Sorry for the outburt. I just cannot abide the leaders of a culture that foster the kind of ridiculous conservatism that they do. It would be like having the Southern Baptist Convention run our club. Good bye Broon Ale and everything else fun. I cannot STAND these people.

  58. DJG @ 40 i i think in january we need 2 good wingers that have an end product before another striker , i think with that we would get the very best out of Carroll , Ranger ,Lovenkrands and Shola ( who i am not a great fan of ) and look towards a new striker in the summer . A new cd would be needed also if Taylor is sold which i hope , because your right he seems to be disruptive to the team morale .

  59. OHurley i agree with the NO , NO , NO bit but just 1 small point , they did not nick our world cup bid , they got 2022 we where after 2018 . ;)

  61. Please take over my club Qatar !
    I would love it if we could splash cash like man city/Chelsea/real/Barca.
    Yous lot are clueless!

  62. Why shouldn’t we have a rich benefactor owning the club, it doesn’t all have to be so crass like at Man Citeh…

    Football is big business. Sadly but true, NUFC isn’t “our” club, unfortunately it belongs to the owner, sold to Mike Ashley by some of Geordielands finest sons too don’t forget.

  63. Axel, Ohurley is a Yank…so therefore, they did steal OUR World Cup :)

    Question about Pardew wanting to bring in new players…which is all well and good. However, it’s gotten me to thinking. Perhaps a Blog subject as well.

    Is it the players or the coaching that needs improvement? After all, aren’t players merely executing that which they’ve been taught? Therefore, might AP start with new coaches prior to new players? For instance, if a defender is coached to always defend with his right foot, and does so consistently, but is also beat a lot, then perhaps it’s the coach who needs to be replaced, not the player. You can buy good players, but if they don’t execute the coaching well, won’t they play like crap? Or, are we assuming all the players we want are naturally talented and don’t REALLY need coaching at all?

  65. Hmmm a choice between a proven liar or someone who is willing to invest in the club to get us high up the league hard choice really isn’t it???? People keep saying we would be in huge amounts of debt if these owners came in but I doubt unlike our owner that they would loan the club money. So if we are not being loaned money we are not technically in debt and id the owners left the club you would sell the high earners to ensure that you did not have a huge wage bill. I might be in the minority here but I think it would be good for the club. I also don’t think it would be meaningless if we won anything because we had owners who were investing loads of money at the end of the day the players still need to perform and money doesn’t guarantee success. I would love to see Newcastle lift a trophy in my lifetime.

  68. Norcal and O’Hurley – you’re both wrong. They stole OUR world cup (actually they bought it).

    No Qataris for me. I’ve just got used to how much I hate Ashley, I don’t want to have to adjust my hate meter again.

  70. Gee, isn’t a week a long time in football?
    Last week: Ashley out! you fat cockney bastard, get out of our club! Time to go, time to go, time to go….
    Now: Oh no! Some people who are rich enough to buy Ashley out are considering buying the club. We’ll be like Chelsea and Man City! Maybe Ashley isn’t so bad…..

    Note 1. I don’t believe the story in the first place.
    Note 2. I don’t hear Chelsea or Man City fans complaining that much.
    Note 3. If MA reads this blog, it will certainly convince him that the fans are fickle and he should take no notice!

  71. ~ El Toro ~ says:
    December 16, 2010 at 4:59 pm

    “Tell you what, I’m pleasantly surprised by the amount of bloggers that share the same views as myself.”

    I usually find that quite worrying, El Toro.

  74. I’d be happy with the Qatar royal family, had enough of fat mike. But not signing overated pricks on big contracts though.

  75. Magpie6699

    1-Pretty sure theres loads of people that still want Ashley out, they might simply not be the majority on here?
    2-Again, plenty of people have voiced approval of this “supposed” takeover, not everyone who uses the site has posted so theres plenty of time for them to become the majority..
    3 Comparing Abramovich with Qataris is also pretty inaccurate.
    4-Man City fans happy? Really, I know a couple of Manc lads from uni that aren’t too happy, feel they’ve lost their former identity. Sure, attendance and fanware may well have increased, but then where do you draw the line between fans and glory hunters?

  76. He shouldn’t take any notice anyway. The same drama queens and plebs that were standing outside with their sam jacks ASHLEY OOT! T-shirts on will be the same ones that were clapping when we won the championship at a canter. They will be the same ones clapping when Benny is in a black and white shirt again (Ashley’s decision) and they will clap if we start to establish ourselves in the prem. The point is Ashley has sunk loads of money in to keep us going and even though some of his decisions have been crap, the good intention is there. Don’t say he is only looking after his investment, you don’t go to football matches supporting a team and not care about what you are watching and what the results are. Go ahead and sell to the Qatari’s but there’l probably be no beer in the ground, no swearing, no women and children, no gays, head scarves to be worn by all haha..

  77. Time to head off on a tangent now, has anyone heard or seen anything of Yven Moyo? The French ‘Wiz Kid’ we signed from Sochaux in September??? Just wondered if he’s been getting a shirt in the reserves???

  79. Yorkshire_Mag

    There just doesn’t seem to be much info on him. All that can be established is that he played the first half for the reserves and went off injured just before half time. Although it looks like he landed badly from a corner and its no a serious injury that will keep him out for very long hopefully. Unless you either have MUFC tv or travelled to manchester tonight no one has really seen him so will be interesting if someone has. I know one thing like if we can keep Benny at the club it has to be a wonderful role model for the lad and someone he can speak in Frence with.

  80. NewkieBrown says:
    December 16, 2010 at 9:42 pm

    “3 Comparing Abramovich with Qataris is also pretty inaccurate.”

    That would depend on what factors you are comparing, Newkie Brown.

  82. How’s things batty? I’d like him to piss off now mate. Fairplay for putting the money in to keep us going but had enough of his shite desicion making.

  85. DJG,

    Deffinately, but we need to get Benny tied down first and then hopefully it will bring the bairn through successfuly too!!!

  88. Was that comment islamaphobic? it seemed pro islamic to me or am I just thick. No answers to that question plz. :)

  90. Richie still no word from Ice yet mate.
    Jay I would even drive him away mesel ;) but I think the Qatar stories are exactly that stories, so we’re stuck with the fat fuk

  96. I want Ashley to sell to the perfect owner, somebody who gifts his 500 billion dollar fortune to NUFC and then appoints the perfect person to oversee the development of the club into the world’s best ever team for the rest of eternity.

    And then I want to live forever to see it happen.

  100. Bris….unfortunately he won’t sell it to me tho! ;-)

    Jay jay is the weather going to be ok down that way on Saturday?

  105. Batty Icepup said he was getting out yesterday I think and I sent him an email but he hasn’t got back to me yet I hope all went well But then he will probably be laid up for a couple of days, as I know when I got mine done it was sore just to move.

  113. Richie a Hernia redone because the silly c@nt didn’t take it easy the 1st time and it tore, so it makes it worse 2nd time round :lol:
    Richie @ 109 that makes you sound like a mackem or a priest :)

  115. It was a bit of tongue in cheek Worky – irony, not to be taken at face value like. Ironic as this situation is.

    Geordie sense of humor mate – you have to laugh or else you’d cry :(

    Big Dave – was mekking mesel a cup of tea and smoking a tab while the missis was on facebook.

  120. Dave its a good thing you don’t have the ban hammer or the blog would just be you talking to yourself. :)

  127. Richie that was one of the ones I was thinking about when I asked, but im not 100% sure but I know he hasnt been back on from the night we started on him, ??? just thinking maybe thats who DJG is :lol:

  128. “If he wants to go down the path of bringing through local young talent, then the accademy and reserves need to be bucking their ideas up, as they dont seem to be making very much progress with the talent that they have right now. Or am I wrong?”

    Unfortunately BB with your namesake in charge of the reserves we may not ever make progress certainly not against Man Usa – hope they’ve stopped scoring now :(

    http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20101216/beardsley-takes-positives_2281670_2246227

    “Is it the players or the coaching that needs improvement? After all, aren’t players merely executing that which they’ve been taught?”

    You are right Nor Cal Toon, players are led by coaches and it’s these people who Pardwho should be looking to bring in, not just coaches but quality coaches. The problem with Pardwho is does he really want to bring in a coach who’ll outshine him with their abilities ?

    As for the Academy I’ve long since worried that although we may take the concept seriously, are we really able to accept the responsibilty of bringing in, and paying for, the best minds in football just to teach youngsters ? At the moment there are no superstars in Academy coaching mainly because they get uplifted to other coaching roles within the club or to other clubs elsewhere like Richard Money !

  133. I think thats a bit unfair on Pedro. He’s won a canny few games with the ressies aswell, certainly more than they’ve lost and is doing wonders with the likes of Ferguson, ?McGothlin?, Airey, Donaldson.

  139. Oh. Wasn’t there someone called www or world wide web aswell though are am I going mad. Maybe im thinking about Ed’s blog from centuries ago.

    wickywoowoo what happened to him used to be on regular, scottish dude.

  141. DJG…..wickywoowoo p!ssed of people on both blogs, don’t think he’s been on here since, dunno about Ed’s tho.

  151. Richietoon heavy snow forecast for Saturday mate.

    Big dave smoke your holidays like you smoke cock you man-slag :)

  155. Jay thats one of the benefits of working for yersel mate ;)
    Talking about Snow my Daughter is coming home on sat and ahe has to drive from Brighton up to Stranrar for 8pm ferry so I hope she can make it

  158. Picking the bairn up from his Mam’s about 8 ish so should be ok.

    I wonder what time Toonsy’s chauffeur is picking him up :-)

  161. Clint…it was mostly gone then got some back today.

    Dave…is it not cheaper and easier for her to fly?

  164. Richie she has finished at Uni now so she is bringing her car and stuff back, Though if she dosn’t get a job here in a few months, she is talking about going to london maybe.

  165. richie there was just a tiny bit, resembled a covering of frost. Just checked out the weather for the north east. Its looks like it is gonna be really cold but not much snow hopefully.

  166. jay :lol:

    Dave… hope all goes well for her on the job front

    DJG… got about an inch of it

    reet I’m offski,neet lads

  167. Ta lads,
    just trying to stay in the loop on the weather up there, off up between xmas & new year (driving), family commitments n’all that.

  168. tend to agree with the fact that ashley is ultimately trying to make us financially stable – new owners may spend a ton of cash but am unsure we’ll be better for it

  169. The moment i heard about the Qatari investors story i was wishing it isn’t true. I’m not MA’s biggest fan…far from it. I think he has made some utterly rediculous decisions over the course of his ownership…..but still I like the way his regime is developing young players, getting in good talent on the cheap which in turn is building a good team spirit (partly also due to his sacking of CH, the relegation and the sense of backs against the wall all the time from press and the FA).

    I’d rather have this devil that we know than some unknown Qatari investment company who could do 2 things. First they could do a Man City which i also don’t like. Throwing around money buying superstars with no sense of the club or city is utter bollocks. I’d rather have 1 Alan Shearer or Matt LeTessier or Robbie Fowler for my club than 10 Balotelli’s. Secondly they could do a Blackburn and actually be quite stingy (not unlike MA) and start another upheavel. Sack the manager after few months, get in some new average players, sell a couple of our good players etc etc. We’ll be right back where we started 3 years ago.

    There are no good owners anymore lads…so we have to bear with what we have be it good, bad or in MA’s case, ugly. Now MA has got the manager apparently that he wants, we have a clutch of young players slowly coming thru, the academy seems to be doing ok, the first team is actually quite nice to watch and play with passion most of the time. All is not lost but i assure you if the Qatari owners come in or anyone else for that matter…..we most probably will regret it.

    I just want some stability and want to support my club. Howay the lads.

  170. Joe @ 170-

    Couldn’t have said it better ‘mesel’. I mean, Ashley HAS made some relatively unexplainable decisions, but the club seems to be on the up and up. The last thing we need is a new owner. MUCH less a bunch of Qataris who know f all about football. And that’s comin from a Yank lol! They’ll be looking to enter the football world with a bang, so I would absolutely expect another Manc Al Citeh. Not for me, dammit! I support this club cos it has character and soul, not cos we win all the time. I’m no glory hunter. For me, its all about good people, good times, and good football. F off, Qatar. Go buy AC Milan

  172. what we need is another incident to spark things up again… Bunch of bi-polar so and so’s!

  173. “I just want some stability and want to support my club”
    don’t we all but will there ever be stability with Ashley? we were getting there but then he went and pulled the rug from under us. He can’t and won’t change.
    I don’t want someone to come in spend millions on average players or big time charlies but I do want someone who will spend and compete for decent quality players alongside developing our own youngsters. I’d prefer someone who knows about football but that doesn’t seem to happen these days so at least someone who will appoint a chairman who does, a David Dein for example.

  174. Big Dave, Brighton to Stranraer, what an epic journey and she has my sympathy, the road from Gretna to the ferry has to be the hardest drive ever, at least the bairn will miss the snow.

  175. @Richietoon

    I get your point. Part of me agrees with you….but another part of me is tired of waiting for change and rebuilding etc etc. The time is now. If Pardew says it will take 5 years then at least it started 2 weeks ago. If a new owner comes in it will only start again after he sacks Pardew. When will it ever end.

    If the club is sold again now everything will be in chaos again. The players especially.

    I’m just hoping and praying MA is done with his changes now and will let Alan Pardew do what he was hired to do. Give the man a few years as long as we don’t get relegated. Re-evaluate in 3 years time. Not end of this season. Unless of course we’re in the bottom 3 end of the season.

    Just for the record I didn’t aggree with Hughton signing permanently 2 years ago….but I thought he did a fantastic job and glad he prooved me wrong. Sad to see him go. Now for Pardew to proove me wrong also and bring the club to greater heights.

  176. Joe…Since Sir Bobby I’ve wanted every mananger to prove me wrong and with the exception of CH none have.

    I hope he’s done with change too and I hope Pardew does a great job because if he doesn’t Ashley will get rid without blinking.

    The club apparently want to follow the Arsenal model, well then they best spend some money because they do.Out of the last 6 seasons Arsenal hav signed at least 1 £10m+ player in 5 of them ;-)

  177. I thought it was quite nonchalent how Ashley was critisised by Sir Alan Sugar when he got rid of C.H.

    Sir Alan Sugar, the man who’s catchphrase is ‘your fired’; (to people he doesn’t even employ yet) ;)

  183. awesome games, looking forward to the obvious, think the spurs game will be the best though, i’m going for them to beat Milan
    Champions League last 16 draw:

    Roma v Shakhtar Donetsk

    AC Milan v Tottenham

    Valencia v Schalke

    Inter Milan v Bayern Munich

    Lyon v Real Madrid

    Arsenal v Barcelona

    Marseille v Manchester United

    Copenhagen v Chelsea

  186. pardew just gonna tinker with the squad ,in other words he meens theres no cash off ash ,if he gans banging on fattys door fatso will bang him straight oot of the club

  188. ILM

    Aye some crackers there.

    I would love one of the three london teams to get to the final seeing as its to be played at Wembley. Would be fairly naff if it was two johnny foreign teams in London.

  189. I recon Arsenal will try and play Barcelona at their own game and get trully spanked. Man U and Chelsea have got two cushty little draws tho.

  197. Other than Arsenol/Barca, looking forward most to Bayern/Inter.

    Chelsea and ManU should walk into the quarters, though Marsailles might suprise a bit.

  198. Howay then kkforever whats the latest scoop coz we’re all dying to find out from you ‘insider’ fly on the wall within SJP. Scoop of dog poo more likely. :)

  203. DJG says:
    December 17, 2010 at 2:53 pm
    Where’s your best mate chicken licken today.

    batty he is Bull Sh!t no.9 ya thick cnut.nope ya thick c unt i know who bobby shinton is as toonsy told me and it aint kk or troy u thick crack lickin arse

  206. ‘it aint kk or troy u thick crack lickin arse’

    kk is troy like worky told you yesterday ya friggin daft Ken.

  209. Snow 8O

    There was enough here to slightly cover the ground but it’s no biggie. If it’s much worse 20-odd miles away in Brum I’d be surprised.

  211. Toonsy… thats alreet then, just cos I was talking on the phone to a lad in Oxford and he said it had been on the radio saying there was heavy snow in Brum….looks like the weather media is crap too ;-)

  212. Rich – I’ve heard it’s pretty bad up Stoke/Uttoxeter way. There is more forecast though so who knows.

  213. What’s the crack like? Someone missing me again. Christ, if you’s are like this after I haven’t posted for 24 hours what ya ganna be like in a few days when I fook off to Malaysia for 3 weeks!!?? :lol:

  219. aye, didnt think KK was BS9, KK talks sense ;-)

    batty if ya don’t remind to do me GG I’ll forget again cos leaving about 8 tomorrow for the match :-)

  222. djg i told u before that glue sniffing pickles ur brain u tool.
    Batty its not his fault he is as thick as shite i blame his parents for not making him go to school and letting him sit at the pc all day.

  225. toonsy says:
    December 17, 2010 at 3:53 pm
    Feck me, if it’s causing this much shit I’ll just wipe the lot of em… who ? :lol: now calm doon youg man

  227. Well it just does my tits in Batty. I come on here for a bit of a laugh and all I see it fecking tittling over who is who. FFS. I’ve no doubt that oer people feel the same.

  231. tonnsy u cant do that i want be able to comment on ur 100th article
    So be a good lad and dont b spitting the dummy out

  233. batty…. kna nowt from the old bugga, maybe he wanted to stay in longer for the bed baths :-)

  237. Whats the craic lads Toonsy dont be throwing the toys out again :lol:
    on a different note Ice is ok just a bit sore so he will try to get on later ;)

  238. tonnsy dont push what ? r u trying to threating me ? Stop getting on like a spoilt school kid

  239. KKforever – I don’t do threats princess, and I fail to see where you have been threatened? Stop being so precious.

    Now cut out the personal stuff, everyone, and everyhting will be fine.

  240. good girl tonnsy it just sounded like u were trying to b a big girl @ 224 + 233 . But i’ll take ur word for it pet