Signs of stability? Or primed for a sale?

Posted on December 28th, 2010 | 93 Comments |

Mike Ashley - Staying or selling?
Mike Ashley - Staying or selling?
Just what is it with these new contracts at Newcastle? Since the summer we have seen Andy Carroll, Nile Ranger, Mike Williamson, Tim Krul and now Steven Taylor all tied down to long-term deals with the club.

This is, of course, good news for Newcastle United and gives us a bit of stability with regard to the playing staff going forward, but does it signal that there could be more going on behind the scenes? Could Mike Ashley be making the business more saleable?

There is no doubt that the offering of new, long-term contracts is good for the club, but it would also be good for Mike Ashley’s bank balance in the event of a sale. After all, a stable club with it’s best potential assets tied down to long-term deals would be worth a lot more money compared to a club that was floundering along with no forward planning. I mean, even the manager has a contract that could last over five years, although there is a rather cunning clause put in by Ashley that will allow Pardew to be disposed of for minimal compensation, something that would appeal to both Ashley and any new owner who will more than likely want to install their own man in the event of a change of ownership.

Of course, you could look at these moves and assume that Mike Ashley planning for the long term at Newcastle for himself. Perhaps he is happy to stick around and is willing to give it another go with the aim of getting us up the league and hopefully into Europe. After all, that would improve the value of the club further in the event of a sale. Maybe Ashley is happy to back his own man this time around?

Whatever happens, and whatever the motive behind these new deals, it is good new for the club in the long run. The only way to make the club more valuable is to improve it and make it more stable. After all, we already have the infrastructure and ground in place to be able to compete with the best.

I’m cautiously optimistic at the moment. We have tied down some good young players to long-term deals, we have a backrrom staff setup for the first time in ages, and it is still going to be added to, apparently! We hear that the manager will be allowed to dip into the transfer market in January, and we also hear that Hatem Ben Arfa is is on the list of players to sign.

Time will tell on all of that of course, but it all appears to be good news for us, and would all be good news for the value of the club if it was all true.

So what do YOU think? Is Ashley priming us for a sale? Or is he priming us for a long term future with himself at the helm?

Let us know what you think.

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

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93 Responses

  1. ‘Is Ashley priming us for a sale? Or is he priming us for a long term future with himself at the helm?’

    Either way, it’s good for the club, so long may it contiune.

    Note of caution toonsy, there’s only one direction future threads can go after this one, ‘Has Mike ashley been the best thing Newcastle Utd could have asked for?’

    Careful ;)

  2. J.T.kna shit xmas mate just getting over opp,now son quite ill with viral infec/swine flu,but hey a lot of people worse,so onward and upwards.

    taking aboot 20min to get comments up :(

  3. We havent been in a better position since the fat man bought the club from the other fat man, Sensible business could stop us being sucked into a scrap and see us competing with Bolton and 5un1un for top 7 as their first 11s are no better than ours.

    If we could punt Smith, Xisco and Campbell in january and bring in players like Kranjcar and Wheater who are out of contract soon and possibly a couple of loan like Sturridge/Macheda and Van Arnie we would save on wages and possibly have a really strong second half of the season.

  4. Just in KL airport waiting for me transfer. Been travelling for yonks but was cheered to see Saylor finally did the right thing and signed his new deal! Hoping there’ll be somewhere showing our game in langkawi. Howdy the lads!!!!

  5. I think we’re in for the long haul with regards to Ashley, since getting back into the PL, I think he’s seen that a little investment on long term achievements can produce a lot of income for him & the club!1

    Lets just hope if he does sell up in a season or 2, that it’s not to someone who’s got less money than him or we’ll be back to square one again!!!

  6. Icedog – It should be getting sorted in the next few weeks. It’s been hit and miss for me. Sometimes I can get straight on, others it takes me twenty mins.

  7. CC – It’s because I still have alcohol in the system. It makes me think more. I’ll be back out later topping it up :)

  8. Toonsy

    Im having a sneaky jd and a chocolate orange as we speak never makes me think clear but calms the nerves for 3pm…

  9. aye same here TOONSY m8,RICHIE what you think today,you changeing photo soon?waveing hand or maybe two fingers lol

  10. Sorry to here icedog , hope your recovery is going well , mrs had surgery herself start of decemeber she is pregnant which complicated things but on the mend now thank god!

  11. 15 year old, fake ID, Back of the leisure centre, Them trousers with poppers all down the legs, silver L and Bs…

    Where did them days go ??

  12. s taylor got a mixed reception from gallowgate on sun. but to be fair played canny, as did collo. but i fear another spankin today. all we did on sun was lump it up for carrol. we need improvements this jan, end of

  13. J.T.glad to hear that m8.first child?

    TOONSY,nee j/d since 15 that was 30yr ago,try it noo its a mans drink,you will handle it :)

  14. so party on at yours then icedog? hope u got a few bottles in coz im a thirsty lad :) were u live again lol

  15. From the first game in the Championship to now with the exception of Hughton’s sacking the club has been very stable, probably the most stable for many many years.

    Even with Hughton’s sacking the club acted quickly.

    The club appear to be following the ‘How To Successfully Manage A Football Club’ manual to the letter.

  16. Ice – Never mate. One of them things I just can’t stand mate. Even the smell makes me howk up nowadays. I avoid spirits as they get me in trouble, but if I have to drink them I will drink Gin or Southern Comfort. They seem to be the only two that don’t get me arrested :)

  17. Dark Rum for me, tho like Toonsy I try to stay away from spirits as it takes me about 3 days to recover from hangover!

  18. It’s all guesswork but I think and hope that Ashley will stick to his guns now and keep hold of the club to see his model work. If it does I’d hope that we’d all be happy to see him stay. If we stall as mid-tablers then praps not.

  19. on the off- chance of any other Toon exiles being down in Devon today: my local, the Saddlers Arms in Lympstone, is showing the game live. Woo!

  20. Im really disappointed that Saylor has signed a new contract. It is no coincidence we fall to pieces like Lee Clarke in a box every time he plays :(

  21. CC – Pimms :lol:

    I have drank it before, but it’s a bit like pop. I remember Wetherspoons were doing big jugs of it some time back so I just drank them (entire jugs). I didn’t really like, but I’ve had worse drinks to be fair.

    Pasoa, now there is a different story. I had 20 shots of that in twenty minutes with Lemonade mixer. Chucked my fingers down me throat, got rid, and started again :lol:

  22. Batty why do you type in slang and swear a lot but use words like “hence” and the Queens English from time to time? Are you a little actress?

  23. TOONSY :) :)
    JOHNNY,durham m8 be while before i party :(
    J.T.son not so well m8,but will get there

  24. Edward Rogers – Why does it bother you? Is this an English lesson or a footbal ‘blog?

    Nobody else is bothered, and neither should you be flower :)

  25. I think it’s pretty obvious that the club has always been for sale. Just that nobody won’t to buy it, or at the price Ashley wanted anyway.

    If there’s a buyer out there, he’ll sell. Sadly I think the days of wealthy individuals buying PL clubs has passed and we midssed the boat!

  26. I hope you’re right batty. Edward Rogers, isn’t that slang itself for ed fuk? Has one been to Newcastle before, slang is quite common :roll:

  27. Toonsy you are right, of course. My apologies.

    Just I have observed this blog, and Edwards blog for some time, and this fellow he appears to be a scoundrel of the highest order. He has more personalities than a KGB spy.

  28. Of course I admire and like his banter, I was not referring to that, I was just asking the question in a rather political way “is the honourable Batty ripping it all out of you?” or simply “brightening your day with some well timed quips”

    The answer is of course subjective, just as some of us like jelly and some do not.

  29. Cheers richietoon, not just bitter because you ff team is falling away? :) Carroll says his ankle is fine and he is ready to play.

  30. From nufc-mad:

    #9 28 Dec 2010 11:47
    There’s also a chance of Simpson switched to the left, S.Taylor RB with willo/colo in the centre.

    Approx 20 mins before it was suggested on here and Guess who commented next on mad ??

    After i praised you foresight as well, I hope you feel dirty… :lol:

  31. The honourable batty…thats what happens when ya brighten peoples day with such well timed quips ;-)

  32. I actually have no idea what Ashley has up his sleeve..I’ve pretty much given up speculating on the guy’s plans after some of his mad decisions. Still, can only agree with the way in which the player contracts have been sorted out, and even Pardew’s own contract- 5 years with a minimal release is a good shout from a business perspective-I wouldn’t be happy with another 6mil out the window if Ashley or someone else decided he wasn’t their man. I would actually like Pardew to stay for as long as he can, but take nothing for granted in this club, he could be gone in a couple of weeks.

  33. toonsy says:
    December 28, 2010 at 12:43 pm

    ‘but if I have to drink them I will drink Gin or Southern Comfort.’

    Same here womans drinks for me aswell im afraid. :lol:

    I can just aboot drink captain morgan and j/d but brandy is what meks me retch. I drank half a bottle of the stuff once and it nearly finished me off and ever since I’ve been like alergic to the stuff. :)

  34. For those who haven’t met me or haven’t seen my Facebook pic, this is what Batty and the rest are taking the piss out of:

    Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

    I think I look quite cool :D

  35. Its alreet to have nipple erection when ya’ve got the moobs to carry it off…..and ya certainly have :-)

  36. Toonsy if I was you I would have kept that pic to mesel mate :) you look like a right spif but atlest you like to keep us entertained by giving us a laugh ;)

  37. Newcastle: Krul, Coloccini, Steven Taylor, Perch, Tiote, Barton, Routledge, Simpson, Smith, Gutierrez, Carroll. Subs: Harper, Williamson, Lovenkrands, Xisco, Best, Kadar, Ranger.

    Tottenham: Gomes, Hutton, Dawson, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Palacios, Modric, Bale, Pavlyuchenko, Van der Vaart. Subs: Pletikosa, Jenas, Keane, Crouch, Bassong, Kranjcar, Corluka.

    Smith :(

  38. Smith as attacking midfielder then? Howay lads! Hatrick for the smudger!

    Also toonsy-fancy modelling and getting a few more pics ready in case we need cheering up after a thrashing?

  39. Oh christ only just saw perch, he worries me way more than the selection of smith…Why wouldn’t you just put williamson on, Staylor at right back and simpson on the left :/ Christ may as well put ferguson or something.