Surprise, surprise! No striker for Newcastle United

Posted on September 1st, 2011 | 85 Comments |

'Trying is the first step towards failure'
'Trying is the first step towards failure'
Seven months after the sale of Andy Carroll, Newcastle United have, to the surprise of no one, failed to sign a suitable replacement to fill the void up front.

A day of deadline drama, in which saw United lodge a “bid” for FC Twente’s Bryan Ruiz, has ended up falling flat on it’s face as Newcastle, for reasons unknown, decided to try and bring in a striker by submitting a bid 4 hours or so before the close of the transfer window.

Mr. Ashley had a helicopter ready to swish our man from the clutches of Martin Jol’s Fulham waiting in the capital, but (shock horror), the inevitable news from David Craig was that “unfortunately” United just couldn’t quite seal the deal for Ruiz, and also defender, Liam Ridgewell.

This ‘bid’ seems slightly reminiscent of last January’s “attempt” of bringing in a player (Charles N’Zogbia) just hours before the window closed. So after fans have endured a summer of rumours or “smokescreens” as I’d prefer to call it, Newcastle have failed in their quest to find a striker.

I’m afraid this is totally Unacceptable.

A summer in which we were promised that “all the £35 million will be invested in the team” has now passed, and Newcastle United have failed to fill the position which needed the most attention. Yes, Newcastle have signed some players of good potential, but they have also sold some players of huge importance to the club if you are to analyse the statistics of last season.

Striker, Demba Ba, has of course been brought in to the club, but you are kidding yourself if you believe he is the man to fill the gap up top, and from recent comments by manager Alan Pardew, he doesn’t believe Ba, Best, Ameobi or Lovenkrands are enough to score the goals for the Magpies. He has reiterated all summer that Newcastle “need a striker” and he has put his trust in Mike Ashley, Derek Llambias and Lee Charnley to get the players he feels the club need “over the line.”

The striker position has been the most important to sort out since the end of January. Are any of you really surprised at this failure to sign anyone? Demba Ba does have questions over his knee, but regardless of that, he will most likely be away on international duty with Senegal in January. If Shola Ameobi gets called up to the Nigerian squad, he will also be unavailable during January, and he too has a question mark over his fitness. So, we are likely be stuck with Leon Best and Peter Lovenkrands, the same duo who got us through the back end of last season.

Leon Best has started the season well, but Lovenkrands is not good enough in fairness, and shouldn’t be in our team at all. It pains me to say that about Lovenkrands because I do like him, and feel he has been a good servant to the club, but he isn’t the man who will score us the goals we need.

Oh, we could just wait until January though, couldn’t we? Well, if you honestly believe that we can easily get a striker in then, I’m afraid I can’t agree. Prices will be jacked even higher at that time in the season and I’m afraid, like every other NUFC transfer window under Ashley, that the £’s we are allegedly bidding for players now, like the £10 million we allegedly bid for Ruiz, will mysteriously disappear and it will be a “have to sell to buy” scenario.

I am happy with the majority of the players we have bought in, but what pains me the most is the fact I think many of us knew this would happen. It’s been a summer of talk and little action in regards to the striker hunt, and below I will give you some examples.

Here are some recent snippets from the shy and retiring Alan Pardew for your viewing pleasure about the striker search:

#1. “We are trying to make the club stronger, as it stands, I’d say we are not in that position yet.”

#2. “The board know where I am. I want two positions filled before the window shuts. I feel we will do that” – A left-back and a goalkeeper I presume?

#3. “It’s obvious we’re looking to get a striker in. We’re not just playing lip service to it. We have made bids.”

#4. “We’re still confident of bringing a striker in. It makes me laugh when people say time is running out-the deadline isn’t until the end of August.”

#5. “I don’t want to really mention names, but all strikers who are available we are keeping a close eye on. It’s important we keep bolstering the team as best we can. We have obviously been looking for a striker-we are still bidding for a striker as we speak-so we are doing all we can to get the right players for Newcastle.”

#6. “We’re trying to make this club stronger than it was last year. As it stands, when we started the season, I’d say we’re not in that position yet, but hopefully we will be.”

#7. “I don’t think I need to nudge Mike any more-I’ve nudged him enough.”

Believe me, there are a lot more quotes about this subject. What strikes me the most is #1 and #6, where Pardew states we are not as strong as last season. If our own manager doesn’t believe we are stronger, than how can we as fans? Or how can the players feel that we are stronger? Can this window be judged a success?

We’ve heard all summer Newcastle have bid here and there for such player, yet according to the press, we are always just short of the asking price. It’s always somebody else’s fault, always an obstacle to overcome…

Smokescreens

Expect the usual “we tried so hard to get the players in” and “we are all disappointed we couldn’t get the player over the line”. Basically, expect the usual excuses we tend to hear.

It’s up to you what you believe, and whether you feel the board really did try and were just unlucky.

Personally, I find it unacceptable that in seven months, no progress has been made. I’ve read many comments and spoke to fellow fans who believed Ashley would show some ambition this summer because “we have the money in the bank now”, well have we really shown much ambition? Strikers are what keep you in the league, goals are important and we’ve lost our top goalscorers. We have however, gained under soil heating for the winter months and some swanky new shower heads in the changing rooms.

At least there is another window on January 1st suppose. The club would then have had a year to get a “player right for the club.”

I think Ashley and Llambias have let Pardew down big time this summer. He’s had players leave who he wanted to keep and it seems the board haven’t backed him. If you take into consideration what he’s said about needing a striker and “keeping our best players” (unless you think he is part of the spin of course).

I have no sympathy for Alan Pardew though. He knew what he was getting himself into when he walked through the St James’ Park doors in January. He said himself that managers messaged him saying “you’re mad taking this job”. Don’t expect him to say anything of significance today either.

I must stress that I think we have bought in some good players. But we have also been lied to (again) this window in regards to finding an adequate replacement to Andy Carroll. This current squad is no bigger than the squad last season, a squad in which Pardew stated was “too small and lacking depth”. If we had got in a decent striker this window, it would have made a massive difference on the pitch and at least shown that Pardew and the gang really wanted to address the vacant striker position.

So now all we can do is get behind the team and hope the lads continue the great start to the season. I’ll always get behind the team, as I’m sure the majority of you out there will too.

Just a shame Mike Ashley didn’t want to push the boat out a little further and give the fans and Pardew what they really wanted / needed. Not really a surprise though is it, it’s not like we had money in the bank.

Poll

NUFCBlog Author: Jimbob Backpacker extraordinaire and current resident of sunny Sheffield. Loves Marmite, hates peanut butter. Sleeps twice a day, wrestles Polar Bears because he can and regards himself as cool as a cucumber in a bowl of hot sauce. Jimbob has written 40 articles on this blog.

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85 Responses

  1. Well no surprise then! Maybe the clowns who have said wait until the end of the window will now smell the coffee. Don`t let the early results disguise the need for additional to supplement the squad. We have struggled in all of the games we`ve played and have been lucky to get the points we have, believe me this will not go on. I was at Scunthorpe and if people think that the likes of Gosling, Marveau and Lover are going to step up to the mark forget it. The TV reported that Arsenal had spent 25 million on transfers, that was`nt 60 million which would have included their wages Ashley. You are a prick and the sooner you and the rest of your mafia leave this club the better.

  2. Yes we didn’t get a striker in but no one can say we didn’t try… We could b like 5under1and and just get a striker in for the hell of it- Bendtner is useless. It’s not the end of the world and I am sure we are all just hoping Ben Arfa will get over his injury soon.

  3. @Mark Well you’re not a true Newcastle fan along with all those other people who don’t bother turning up to games when they have a season ticket or follow Newcastle. Yes we didn’t get the striker we wanted BUT we did get 7 other good signings and NO MATTER WHAT if you’re a TRUE Newcastle fan you still have to follow them no matter how “disgusting” we get. Simple.

  4. fingers crossed for a loan striker maybe if theres someone surplus to requirements at one of the top clubs like man u / city or even chelsea. the loan deadline is not the same as the transfer one is it?

  5. Who says we tried ?, The liars upstairs thats who. Liars Liars Liars Liars. These two Mercinaries are a complete waste of space. I have never in my life wished ill on anyone but with these two I shall make a special exception, and the sooner the better. COMPLETE BASTARDS.!!! HOWAY THE LADS.

  6. dissapointed in not bringing in a striker but overall i think we have got a better squad than last year, lets just hope ba can find his feet soon coz you never know what difference a goal could make for the lad, the thought of santon and hba on the left is scary or jonas , i personally think hba would be a quality out and out striker and this could be his next position

  7. Well Smup, I’ve been a fan for many years and will return when Ashley goes, you can’t change things by accepting things as they are, if you don’t feel that strongly about the lies, failures and lack of progress, keep giving Ashley your money and he will keep doing what he’s doing

  8. I don’t really buy into the “we’ve been lied to” theory. I do think Dekka needs to work on his negotiating skills, but it’s much more likely ineptitude rather than deciept. Hopefully we should see more off Ferguson, Danny and Vuckic because of the lack of sibling, which is a plus.

  9. no less then expected. Ashley is ensuring he gets his money back, makin sure the squad is good enough to survive and then he will sell (hopefully). Don’t expect a striker in January if we are in a relative safe position. If he wanted a striker of quality Pardew would have been given the green light to secure someone weeks ago.

  10. hi guys… i remember running into a comment on one of the deadline day liveblogs.. about how the dmoestic loan window kicks in some days..

    any ideas on what kind of players we can expect? and possible any decent strikers we can poach off from this loan window?

    or is there no such window?

  11. At #1 – Mark – True geordie spirit is supporting your team NO MATTER WHAT. We’re not mackems, smoggies, man city, wigan or any other of those ’empty seats’ supporters. We’ve always been judged as the best supporters in the country and at times like this we prove that. I’ll still be going even amidst rumours that Ashley is taking down the ‘Newcastle United’ sign at SJP and replacing it with a sportsdirect.com sign. I personally think they’re taking it down to clean it but I could be wrong. Picture @ http://www.nufc.com

  12. The stories surrounding jabba and dekka’s lies are getting so complicated, it’s like they are Michiavellian super intelligent schemers of the highest order. Ashley has lost a billion over the last two years and employed Dekka so surely his failures in the transfer market shouldn’t come as a suprise. They’re just not very good at running a football club, end of. Fat Fred and john hall were very good, they were also very good at siphoning off millions, which is why Ashley will be reticent to spend for the next 5-10 years.

  13. What a load of sad people get on here who just want to moan whatever happens, if we got Messi he would be too small?

    They have done well got rid of the deadwood and expensive average players and brought in some young and hungry players also, why buy someone to keep the whingers happy it has to be the right player for the team? Suppose some of the people on here on the same ones that got SBR removed when we were siting in the top 10 of the league and now probably sing his name at the game sad bunch,

    just be happy with what we have and support our team to the last like the majority of the real supporters,

  14. Really disappointed with the board but I’m not blaming AP he’s been duped just like the rest of us. We are are going to have to hope HBA stays fit and Best gets in the form of his life this season or we are in trouble.

  15. So, that’s another £35m off the money we owe the batman. Anyone any ideas when he’s paid off?

  16. I agree that we have brought in some players this summer, and we will probably be alright this season but for all the noise coming

  17. (oops!)…. From pardew and the club, did anyone actually believe we would spend any of the AC money? Of course not!

  18. I would first like to say that I am equally annoyed not another striker was brought in, however it disappoints me more when I read of boycotts and people no longer supporting the team etc.

    NUFC fans are meant to be the best and the most resilient fans in England! I cant understand how anyone would not want to go watch the team play, we have brought in quality players, if Ben Arfa can get on the pitch then we only need, Ba, Shola and Best to all contribute in the one position.

    I know its not ideal, but I still think we have enough exciting players to go well. Depth is my big concern.

    For those choosing to stay away that live in Newcastle I hope you change your mind. Try living on the other side of the world and watching every game at 2am in the morning. I would give anything to go watch the lads play every week at St James.

    If you really want Ashley out than like any business you have to make it attractive to prospective buyers. 10k empty seats like last weekend will discourage potential buyers as well as a fan base that is volatile.

    So lets get right behind the team, please no ridiculous protests at the ground as they achieve nothing, except affecting the TEAM, and lets see SJP full and the Toon flying. Then maybe someone will make MA an offer he cant refuse.

    BTW all my NUFC gear arrived today, full playing kit with Ben Arfa, Jacket and Polo shirt, the gear is actually better than expected.

    HWTL

  19. The local media should now ask Pardew, Lambias and Ashley outright to explain to the fans why they bought no striker in this window and what the transfer breakdown actually was. Finally they should also ask firmly where the money has gone/is going.
    Paying fans have a right to know and expect their local newspaper to find out.

  20. This is ridiculous… We have one of the best transfer windows of all clubs in the PL and as usual the Toon fans are not happy… Yes we never got the big name striker we all crave but that does not mean the window was poor as most on here are voting. What you are saying is that if we had signed some unknown 10m striker we would suddenly be over the moon and then the window would have been successful?? What a load of tosh! It’s not about how much you spend, it’s about Quality and we have brought that in. When was the last time fans of clubs like Liverpool were jealous of our signings as they are with Santon? We have a cracking first XI, better than last season, some great young talent and pace in the team! Just get behind the lads and stop moaning.

    OK rant over!

    HWTL

  21. yes aussiedave very annoying watching them on the other side of the world thank God for foxpsorts :)what part of Australia you in??…im in Melbourne

  22. Incredibly disappointed not to have signed a striker when everyone can see that it remains a problem position for nufc. I really feel sorry for pardew as he is the man made to look most stupid in front of fans and press, but not sure that I can believe it was all a smokescreen as we have signed a replacement LB for Jose. Also, let’s remember that Nolan wanted a 5yr contract on big wages which was the reason he left, and Barton has gone when he clearly said that he was only prepared to go to a CL team (chased the money). I think that we have signed some very good players (Cabaye, Santon, Marveaux) to go with some promising players (Abeid, Obertan) and the young players coming through the academy. Just remember that Arsenal and Man Utd have always had faith in their young players and don’t do badly. I also like the fact that Pardew has tried to bring pace, an ability to retain the ball and players with a desire to prove themselev

  23. I am a true Newcastle fan and have been all my life. I have read all the comments relating to this article and feel Ashley and his merry men have failed us yet again! How long do we have to endure the pain of this regime… 8 months to replace carrol and last minute bids etc etc all a bit too much for me … Like we found out sadly in January any palyer has a price so… we allegedly made an 8 mill offer for the Maiga which their president insisted he would not be sold until a replacement could be found, which I beleive is quite honourable unlike our leaders! However in real terms with 35 mill for a unproven EPL striker in the bank would a 12 mill bid to get your man “over the line” in the scale of things be the right thing to do??? Note this is the gate receipts the clud missed out on from the Fulham game becasue of the lack of this type of investment.
    Ashley over to you????

  24. nufc337 im in sydney. A league starts soon, looking forward to watching Emmo and Harry.

    I would love to see Robbie Kruse and Zulo at the Toon one day

  25. No point in crying into wor broon , lets move on !

    I see from our blog site Hatem BA is not due for another 5 weeks , is it me or does it seem to be getting longer period not shorter ??

  26. Oh god please stop moaning on here !!!

    This transfer windows has been good. Ok, so will didnt get another striker in, but we have loads of strikers, and knowing how this club works, wont get another striker until one leaves!!

    Support the current strikers… we have scored 4 goals in 4 games… half coming from strikers.

    That doesn’t sound so bad does it, really?

    COME ON SUPPORT AND STOP MOANING

    HWTL

  27. I’m disappointed that we didn’t get a new striker in. We’ve had since January to identify suitable, realistic targets and there’s really no excuse.

    I think we’ve done okay in other areas. Cabaye and Obertan look promising. Marveaux looks okay from what I’ve seen so far and Santon should be good if his reputation is anything to go by.

    We have to hope that the likes of Ba, Benny (when fit), Best and the Ameobis can make up for the goals we got last season from (mainly) Carroll and Nolan.

    I still think Best is underrated and could come good, but I would have felt much more relaxed if we’d brought in a new striker too.

    As to why we failed to get a striker – that’s anyone’s guess.

    Poor scouting (from our generally good scouting network) in terms of realistic targets?

    Penny-pinching by Ashley on deals?

    I dunno.

  28. biggest load of crap since we had westwood yes man pardew kissing the puppet masters arse to keep his job the other greedy bastards in our once great club are putting it into the ground supported this club 60 years they wont get one more penny out of me or my family as long as the fat get is there simmo

  29. I just cant believe whats happened I am,really really dissapointed, we had all summer no one day like in january, and the fat man leaves it to the last day so he could blame the window closing, I am resigned to what goes on in the club, but think protests is the only way forward, including pitch invations and vadalism, but I dont think the fans have the courage to do that, I agree tha during the game we should back our supporters.

  30. It is over and done now so we have to let it go and focus on supporting the team. Best and Ba may come good so lets not worry.

  31. … nufc.com and this site is beginning to be full of negative cr@p.

    I’ve noticed this recently.

    I’ll tell you now, if we HAD brought in a £10 million striker… you all would be MOANING beacause we could have spent it on two £5 million ones !!!

    I for one WILL be going to the QPR game and others to see the promise that is are 1st team. Santon, Cabaye, Sammy, Vuckic et all.

    Fuk me, I even seen a Carlisle game to watch our James Tavernier play – btw he looks fukin awesome !!!

    HWTL

  32. @ 30. Max

    Someone report him. Citing along the line of the scabby riot scum.

    Go back to bed!

    p.s may just be a mackem, but still, should be reported.

  33. How on earth can some of you say and believe that we have a stronger squad now than last year?

    Enrique->Santon
    Nolan->Cabaye
    Barton->Obertan
    Carrol->Ba

    What if Saylor or Colo get injured? Where is our cover? Even the Situ kid that impressed on trial chose Swansea over us.

    What about all the comments from Pardew saying we ARE SHORT, we NEED a STRIKER, JUDGE on SEPT 1.

    Should we not be allowed to judge? I will, and i say we are weaker than before, and all the promises we got served was lies again (even though we already knew that)

    Its blatant for all to see that we are short up top for quality. Take this Cisse guy from Germany as an example. IF we did put in a bid of 10 mill for him (or any other we supposedly bid around 10 mill for)and we get a reply saying the asking price is 13 Mill. What does it really matters to Ashley if he needs to find 3 mill more?

    A buy of this calibre would surely send more supporters through the gates and the mood would be lifted as a bonus. a couple of home games, coupled with shirt sales would rake in 3 mill in a short space.

    My point is (and this is just my opinion) that we have not bid for anyone with a serious offer. Only smokescreen bids that will get rejected and give the board excuses to feed the supporters.

    Shame on all of you that blasted Kevin Keegan for saying he was bitter. He is the one telling us the truth.

    Tom

  34. would be interested to know how many first team goals our 25 man squad scored between them last year – bet it was lower than the amount the relegated teams scored!

    tightening of belt may just leave us in the championship again – hope not, gonna be a long season

  35. Well I really felt we were going to land a striker but it hasn’t happened. I’m confused that we made a last min bid of £10 million or so for Luiz. But we couldn’t stump up the cash for our original #1 target Kevin Gamero???
    Anyway what’s happened has happened and we can’t dwell on it. I think the goals will still come for us and hopefully HBA gets his Newcastle career up and running when he finally gets fit.

  36. @ 39. we still can you can loan at anytime of the season with just cause. I believe he would be a quality sub/impact loan but should not start above ba, best or ameobi. We need to get best and ba to EPL quality players and the only way to do that is through a trial of fire. Force them in there and see how they do. COPY: LISTEN UP ALL YOU FUKING BITCHES AND MOANERS WE HAVE TWO GOOD STRIKERS IN BEST AND BA, SO SHOVE IT UP YOUR ASS IF WE DIDN’T SIGN UP ANY OTHER STRIKERS. WE ARE NOT IN THE REGIME OF FUCKING SHEPARD WHO RAN US INTO THE GROUND FOR THE HOPE, HOPE, LOOK AT THE WORD, OF US WINNING SOME HARDWARE. WE ARE UNDER A NEW BOSS, ONE WHO IS A SMART BUSINESSMAN AND WILL LEAD US TO SUCCESS ONCE FFP IS ENACTED. COME JANUARY ALL YOU TW*TS WILL NO LONGER BE ASKING FOR A NEW STRIKER BC BA AND/OR BEST WILL OF ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES AS A 15+ GOALS A SEASON STRIKER. YOU’RE ALL A BUNCH OF SPOILED BRATS USED TO BIG TRANSFERS THAT WASTE OUR BUDGET, BUT GUESS WAT THAT’S NOT HAPPENING ANYMORE SO FUKIN GET USED TO IT. WE ARE NOT THE BIG CLUB WE USED TO BE AND WE WILL NOT BE FOR A WHILE SO THERE IS NO USE TO BE BITCHIN AND MOANING. ALL WE CAN DO IS BE LOYAL, LOYAL, I EMPHASIZE THIS WORD, AND SUPPORT OUR CLUB AND PLAYERS. SO INSTEAD OF COMPLAINING WHERE IS A NEW STRIKER YOU SHOULD BE CHEERING FOR OUR TEAM. THERE IS NO WAY WE COULD OF SUPPORTED THE BUDGET OF THE TEAM HAD WE SPENT ALL OF THE MONEY WE GOT IN THE TRANSFER MARKET FOR MORE THEN 2 YEARS. IT’S SAD THAT SOME YANK THAT NEEDS TO GET US AS EARLY AS 4 AM TO SUPPORT HIS TEAM IS TELLING YOU THIS, SO BUCK UP AND SUPPORT YOUR TEAM.

  37. Mentioned something on SSN this morning about a loan window opening in 1 week. Maybe there will be some chance of shifting Ranger out and bringing in a youngster from Chelsea or Man u.

    Wasn’t too interested in Macheda on loan prior to the window closing because I lived in ( fools ) hope of signing someone better permanently. Think Lovenkrands although versatile in where you can play him lacks a goal threat and Shola isn’t prolific. Ba hasn’t got going yet but will be missed in January, so to heap too much expectation on Best is unfair …get rid of Ranger if we haven’t already and try for someone on loan

    We should have more than enough for safety this year and should be looking up the league rather than worrying about the drop. Not getting carried away with our start mind. Caught all 3 prem. teams at a nice time before any have hit form and we will have patches where things don’t go as well. Safely mid tabble …just wonder what year of the 5 year plan this is?

  38. What about the possibility of loaning Erdinć on season long loan once he realises that he can’t get a look in a PSG??

  39. I’d like to say that I think MA & DL have been pretty foolish in some of the things the club has said and done in recent years, but I do support the club’s determination to pay down the debts (whoever the money is owed to), as the spending beyond your means bubble will definitly burst. It doesn’t matter how much money the club does or doesn’t spend compared to how much they recoup (is it not sensible business to do that?). As I said before I’m as disappointed as anyone that we haven’t signed a proven PL striker, but Cisse from Germany & Ruiz from Holland are not proven strikers in this league, and both have been watched constantly by the supposed bigger PL teams over the last year before Fulham have taken a chance on Ruiz at the end of the window (sounds like a gamble to me)! Do we want to be like Sunderland and buy players (Korean, Bendtner (loan) & Wickham) none of whom are proven in this league to any degree and who aren’t considered good/experienced enough to start matches.

    Have some faith and support the team. For those considering protests outside and inside the ground, ask a question to yourselves beforehand – if you were MA would criticism and insults be an incentive for you to spend your money at the club because they wouldn’t for me to be honest. One club I do feel sorry for is Everton who have lost their best player on the final day of the window and may get relegated as a result of not being able to spend any money at all, but they are an example in recent years of what can be achieved with a good manager, sound organisation, determined players and good support from all at the club.

  40. Hugh @ 28, I agree.

    I am dissapointed we didn’t get a striker but like so many on this blog I think the squad is far better now.

    I guess there will be a club post-mortem but I doubt we will see the results (except for the unsubstantiated drivel from outraged fans on other blogs). My only wish is that the club learns from this.

    From what other clubs and player agents have said is that we did put in some hefty bids.

    Reading some of the comments (mostly from other blogs) it is difficult to discern whether people object to the money not being spent or that we didn’t get a striker irrespective of the cost.

    Hugh, having read the comments on this blog over the months and those on septic Eds I have to say that your website has far more intelligent and well articulated articles and corresponding replies. Keep up the good work. HWTL

  41. Ok, Ashley put 20 million of his own money in 2 times last year (if I remember right). But he got the parachute money back didn’t he (around 20 million)? And 35 million for Carrol. So a decent striker should have been with NUFC’s means (all the other business seems to have broken even). NUFC cannot say the 35 million will cover wages as we’ve removed several large wage owners and replaced them by young (promising? untried?) talent presumably on less.

    He’s a succesful businessman. But he’s running the business down – alienating his customers (what was the attendance last week?). Lower attendences leads to less atmosphere and possibly less TV coverage (read money). A poorer team (and we are poorer without a striker being bought) will perform poorly and that too will lead to less income.

    I was quite excited last night when I heard we bid for Ruiz but it really was too late.

    Ashley, if you want to make a profit on NUFC you need to build the club (and the brand) up!

    Otherwise, is ranger still around? Should we get the Finn back?

    I hope for mid table obscurity. Hopefully the new signings will shine (I’ve nothing against young players with maybe a point to prove). Hope Hatum comes back as strong as he was!

  42. the scumb bag that owns the club & the scumb bags that are paid to run it would have gained a lot more respect if they had just came out early yesterday morning saying..

    – for the fans that intend sitting around watching sky sports news or logged onto your pc’s for the next 12 hours in the hope of seeing the club make any further signings then your sadly mistaken – so if there’s anything more important you could be getting on with in your lives – then we’d advise you do that instead.

    but for the soft lads that we’ve managed to brainwash we have secured the services of – david craig – for a few hours later on tonight when he’ll be telling a few bedtime tales about helicopters & imaginary bids –

    what the f@ck have we done to deserve this bunch of undesirables at our club like ???

  43. Too many people on here are not seeing the big picture. Yes we should all continue to support the team as much as possible. Yes we should have had a new Center Forward, Yes the club will always be bigger than any individual, But unless I’m wrong (and it never happens) the angry brigade should direct their vitriol towards old Stattler and Waldorf up there in the royal box. Its surely not the fact that we didn’t get the players we so desperately need but the fact that we have been lied to again , and what makes it worse is that we could see these scumbags doing it again from months ago. Dispicable, But i suppose they know that already.

  44. Kev@42
    You say top European performers like Cisse and Ruiz are unproven in the Premier League and yet you don’t want UK based players like Bendntner and Whickham either.
    Who do you suggest then? Messi and Ronaldo?
    Or do you just stick with the forwards we already have like Best (from the Championship), Lovenkrands (from that “hot” bed of football in Scotland), Shola (who is frankly a joke) or Ba (who scored a few goals in the Premiership on gammy knees)?
    Unfortunately if you want to play with the big boys you have to join in with them and speculate.
    After all it’s not as if we don’t have any money….. is it?

  45. Roy number 46 * we have secured the services of – david craig – for a few hours later on tonight when he’ll be telling a few bedtime tales about helicopters & imaginary bids *

    thank you so much just nearly wet myself – very funny

  46. turned on sky sports at around ten,after hearing about the so called bid for ruiz,i heard jim say,”lets go up to the north east”,as soon as i saw that bucktoothed little toerag,david craig,you just knew it was going to be bad news.
    then as what has happened during our illustrious owner’s disasterous tenure,the now familiar words,”deal has fell through”.
    until mike ashley appoints a proper person,who can deal with transfers ie,fees,;personal terms etc,we are always going to miss out on players.
    you cannot expect derek llambias to be the man to handle this,as he has been sadly lacking in this department,throw into the mix,his “denniswiseesque” relationship with the fans,he has to be moved on,he is simply not good enough to be where he is.
    the murmours about the newcastle united sign,on the west stand,now appear to be true,as a guy on footmad,has photos,i wonder what it will be replaced with?,answers on a postcard…

  47. Sikovash @ 48

    ‘….European performers like Cisse and Ruiz are unproven in the Premier League and yet you don’t want UK based players like Bendntner and Whickham either. Who do you suggest then? Messi and Ronaldo?….’

    I was thinking the same Sikovash. Many fans appear to favour foreign unproven strikers at any price but wouldn’t entertain proven premiership strikers like Crouch, Lennon or Bendtner.

    I suppose the fans will now be wanting the heads of Ashley and Llambias but strangely not Geordie Graham Carr or Lee Charnley.

  48. For those of you daft enough to still hope for loan signings, THE WINDOW SHUT LAST NIGHT. We can still loan players OUT to sides that are not in the Premiership.iechampioship and below. We CAN NOT bring in any new players on loan.

  49. Can we loan Nicky Maynard from Bristol now then? Cmon Pards get them telt man! I bet Man city have players we can loan too-and whats happening with Sturridge??? Its not too late to redeem yourself MIke if we get those two in on loan………pair of them better paochers than bentner-and what about boro’s Emnes? how come no one went for him?

  50. I will continue to get behind the team and always will. When the Fat Man moves on we will still be here. When his gambling buddies or pathetic yes men who wake up this morning and manage to get out of bed without the aid of a spine, have moved on too, we will still be here, Newcastle will still be here.
    I have to say that the new signings are all welcome and all have my support and good wishes. They all have potential to be great Newcastle players.
    What has to be said though is that the people who run our club, are liars. They have made half hearted attempts to bring in a new striker. They embarressed the club again by trying to high jack other deals knowing full well they wouldnt come through.
    If this is our policy, so be it. But please do not tell us that we will spend all funds from transfers. Dont tell us that the money has all gone on players fees and agents! We know how football works we have been involved in football all our lives!
    We will support the club. It’s our club, not yours!

  51. I dont know why we never brought in a new striker, but personally I believe that games are won and lost in the midfield, we surely have the class to match anyone in the premier league! Best is a master goal poacher, always right place right time… Ba will find form soon, he had a cracker at Fulham… Sammy Ameobi would love to get a crack at first team action, I think he will play a big role this season!!! We ofcourse have Cabaye who pretty much believes. He is a striker and gives a good show in front of goal every game!!! We also have who I believe to be one of the best free kick takers in the league, Raylor! So if u reallyy cant see us gettin goals this season… THEN UR MISTAKIN NUFC FOR ARSENAL… Im just sayin;-)

  52. sikovash @48

    My point is that Cisse & Ruiz could well have fallen into the expensive European flops that we and many other clubs have signed in the past (how much money we have/haven’t got available is irrelevant). Wickham & Ji at Sunderland aren’t considered good enough yet (well how long before they are at a combined cost of £11m) and Bendtner is one of the most overated forwards in the league.

    Undoubtedly some players i.e Messi, Ronaldo, Tevez, Aguero etc are class and any club in the world would take them even at great expense, but only a small number of clubs are attractive to them. It wasn’t so long ago that our club was in a very poor position financially, and I don’t think that sound financial management is a bad thing if the club is better placed for it after a few years of cutting the debt.

    I agree that our forward line is mediocre and on paper lacks obvious goal scoring potential, but the squad is what it is now and we need to support them fully. The reality is that we are a mid-table side at best and the signing of one striker wouldn’t have changed that, as the top clubs are so far ahead and have so much financial power that we and a number of clubs can’t compete so what is the point in loading the club with millions of pounds more debt to get no further. Fulham(via fair play league) and stoke have been able to offer Crouch and Ruiz european football which we cannot, and Crouch was effectively shoved out of Spurs as he was surplus to requirements (maybe spending £12m on a 30yr old will come back to haunt Stoke).

  53. ASHLEY = LIAR

    LLAMBIAS = LIAR

    PARDEW = LIAR

    I’m sick of this poor pardew, I feel sorry for pardew talk. He is in on it, and has no problem misleading and LYING to the fans of NUFC. That is the precise reason why Hughton was sacked, so they could have a manager with no morals like Pardew lie for them to the fas so they could get away with selling our best players and spending little or nothing on their replacements.

  54. Looking at the sign on the east stand. It’s funny the order they have taken the letters down. Is ashley and lamearse trying to tell us what they want? In then pic it says ASTLE NED, does mike want the HASTLE to END? if we don’t stop insulting him then this merry go round will continue.

  55. well said dreamer i though tavernier should have had more games for us last season!!!!! never seen pacle like his for a while!!!!!!!!!!!(come back soon lad!)

  56. Sir Bobby says:
    September 1, 2011 at 1:14 pm

    “so they could have a manager with no morals like Pardew lie for them to the fas so they could get away with selling our best players and spending little or nothing on their replacements.2

    That’s quite a strong way of putting it Sir Bobby, but I did think at the time of Pardew’s appointment that “more experienced” had a different meaning to the one most fans and media thought it had.

  57. The Newcastle hierachy should be hung drawn and quartered in public view within the city centre or perhaps even the ground it’self.

    They’ve had ample time 7 months in which to find the promised replacement for Andy Carroll, unfortunately Andy himself isn’t available (yet) but given his strike rate for Liverpool it wouldnt suprise me if he ends up coming home at some point.

    Given 7 months all it seems they could manage was a few offers under the clubs asking prices and when the offers were accepted offers way below what the player wanted.

    Given this strategy they have successfuly managed not to find a striker in 7 months of trying other than free agent Demba Ba, although they have had measured success in other areas of the pitch this has been tempered with the sale and loss of other assetts.

    Newcastle might have bought in pottentially better replacements than it has lost and CaBaye may well be the find of the season however this does not excuse the mistake of not bringing in more firepower.

    In our last season against the top sides our strikers rarely threatened.

    Most of the goals we scored came in matches against weaker opposition.

    Whilst I don’t think we’re in for a relegation season it’s certainly not out of the question if we lack the fire power up front to win us games as this is exactly what got us relegated the 3 seasons ago and people said exactly the same of the side then “They’re too good to go down!!”

    Mike Ashley and his entourage need to come out and speak to the geordie nation come clean and give us the gods honest truth about what your trying to do, let us understand what you are attempting to make happen.

    The players we’ve bought in have promise but without the tools upfront I fear that promise will never materialise!

  58. Even Everton, you know the club who are officially skint, managed to bring in a loan Argentine striker for the season :(

    Well at least Pardwho was right about getting bums off seats. Only 42,000 last home game so thats almost 10,000 bums off seats. Well done you cockney muppet

  59. “Just a shame Mike Ashley didn’t want to push the boat out a little further and give the fans and Pardew what they really wanted / needed. Not really a surprise though is it, it’s not like we had money in the bank”

    I just read that last piece again JB and thought it was appropriate to say that “the fans and Pardwho” come a significant second and twelfth :) when considering the needs of the team itself.

    It was the team and the players who deserved to have a new top class striker within their ranks. Now they’ve been left a little flat by events, over which they had no control, because they were probably as keen as we were to see someone in the squad they could rely on to get 20 goals or more ?>

    Yes Fatman has let us, the fans, down but its the players he needs to keep onside otherwise he risks another relegation meltdown season !

  60. AndyMac, I think that’s probably the case already.

    Yes Clint all is well though people have been lied to and cheated (again), which is the basis of what has upset the majority. But never fear, we have January correct? Probably To be lied to again, then next summer I suppose?… Not much has changed has it these past 4 transfer windows. Spin, Spin Spin… But it’s OK though, lets all bend over in unison and enjoy it.

  61. Well,
    we haven’t been pandered to.
    Things have changed, hasn’t anyone noticed?
    Don’t have to like it, who does, but crying continually will not help, in fact it’ll only make yourself feel worse. I’m trying to teach my 4 year old this right about now.

    Who wants someone unworthy to wear the no.9 shirt at the Toon, not me.

    As for those who aren’t gonna support the club anymore…
    Best not even dignify that.

  62. Yes, anyone who says they wont support the club any more is going a bit far.

    I think though, if people are spending their money on season tickets to be lied to (yes lied), then they have every right to do what they want. Protest, whine or whatever.

    Things have changed, they haven’t got better have they. We are weaker than we were last season (even Pardew says this). Proven Premier League quality has left the building, with more to follow. Jonas and Colo will be gone by next summer, they wont get new contracts. No way. Who will we replace them with, if indeed we do?

    Lets just wait until next January again to see what happens and the likely cry of “judge us at the end of the window”…

  63. Well, again,
    we can bandy about the word ‘lied’ as much as we want, but in the final analysis we didn’t get a striker in, for whatever reason. There are ‘pieces’ out there from players saying we bid for them, there are clubs saying we didn’t. There are clubs trying to report us for trying to get their players into our club. But if you wanna press the ‘lying’ angle, gan on. Some call it doing business or playing ones cards close to ones chest. It all depends on ones perspective.
    Are we here to accuse, support, be financial wizzes, PR experts? Whilst it can be interesting shooting the shit about ‘everything Newcastle’ there are a hell of a lot of agendas flying about too.

    All the while we’re overlooking the new players we’ve brought in, most of ’em look canny too, whilst getting rid of players that were gonna be gone or useless in a year or 2 anyway. They were the next couple of years ‘deadwood’ that we would all be bleating o about soon enough & to say other wise is pure BS, that’s what we always do.

    If Colo & Jonas leave next year, they leave.
    I’m auld enough to have seen hundreds of players come & go, great/good/bad/shite. It’s the way it is, soz like, but that’s football & that’s life!

    As for waiting ’til jan etc.
    Well i’ll be here ’til the day i snuff it, Toon through & through, cut us in half & like a stick of Toon rock, it’ll say NEWCASTLE UNITED F.C.
    Can’t help it, don’t wanna help it & i’ll be encouraging my 4 year old daughter & brand new, week old son down the path of support for the Lads!

  64. Well, I’ll never understand what going on at the club, and I certainly don’t believe what is happening is for the good of the club, merely for the good of an owner who knows FA about football and has little interest other than peddling Sports Direct all over the universe.

    Good players will leave before they need to and will not be replaced. I’ve seen many players go, but the fact our 4 top performers have gone and been replaced with unknown PL quality is a massive gamble.

    Not only did we not get a striker in, be got no defensive cover and are 2 injuries away from being fooked.

    I’ll wait till January as well and I’m sure we’ll be back to square one all over again. I tend to make my own mind up on everything in life anyway, regardless if I take no notice of anyone, I look at the facts, and what has happened since 2007 on and off the pitch, and I don’t see anything good coming out of it.

    As Keegan said “The club will achieve nothing while MA and DL are in charge”.

    That’s my thought exactly, but my loyalty will never sway me to stop supporting and getting behind the team like many others. The loyalty of the fans is so great, that no matter how many times we get shafted, the fans will still flock to St James’ Park.

    This loyalty is exactly what Ashley loves, because no matter what, he will treat the fans like shite because he knows they’ll still turn up in droves.

    He has managed to run a football club, like his knock off retail stores and it will not change until he has either made some money so he can stick two fingers up at Sheppherd and Hall or until someone offers him a decent amount for the club.

  65. It’s a bit hard to acredit thoughts & behaviour to MA mate, i know everyone likes to, but i don’t care for it myself.
    We have no real clue what he thinks about, he has hardly said a word personally.
    But anyhoo, just like when FFS used to blather on about FA, giving away his plans, being & making us an absolute laughing stock. I just have zero interest in the inner machinations after decades of BS.
    I’m only interested in the players that play now, not past players, nor future players. Aye, i’ve got me auld faves from the day, but that’s where they belong.
    Alas, nolan, barton, enrique will not end up being legends to me, we’ve had far better & we will again.

    Toon Toon!

  66. Fair reflection mate.

    Just a little disheartening that’s all. I think that’s what the majority are feeling who have expressed discontent. Even the local (ish) journo’s seem aghast today. Apart from Lee Ryder of course who wouldn’t say boo to a goose.

    The club will always be here, it’ll outlive those two morons in charge.

  67. Mate,
    what you have to take into account with NUFC is: Our fans are VERY emotionally attached, VERY vociferous & LIVE for the club.
    It’s a real heady mix.
    We see violently extreme swings from one game to the next, consistently.
    Always have.
    We win & we’re getting into europe, one player slips up once & we’re shite.
    We have no middle ground. I quite like that, but it does wear y’ ass a bit thin sometimes.
    :)

  68. Oh I know that Clint! :-)

    Sometimes it really borders on mental. But that’s great in a way sometimes.

    I fully understand the dramas from the Ashley induced sagas though, such as player recruitment etc, but I’ll never get it when if we lose a game it’s the end of the World!

    I think a lot of clubs are like that though, it’s just because we’re fans of NUFC, we only notice our own club.

  69. Living doon here,
    i get to meet fans of clubs all over the world mate.
    & i rarely meet anyone with the passion we have man.
    Believe me, i can shoot the shit about football with the best of ’em, but i’m surprised sometimes how lacking a lot are.
    It’s a football whirl up in the NE, unlike other places.
    But we do get sucked into every little aspect though.
    Nutters!
    :)

  70. Well yeah they are, but I’m from the south mate, so all my mates support the southern clubs and Manure obviously :-)

    It would do my head in if all I chatted about was Newcastle, so it’s nice to be around other fans of different teams. Though being travelling a lot and away from Toon fans, it’s the reason I’m on this blog.

    I used to go to a PL game every couple weeks anywhere, just to watch some football, mainly because my bro works for the FA as a tutor for coaches all over the UK, so I get benefits, if and when I’m in the country! :-)

  71. Aye,
    it does broaden your horizons talking to ‘other fans’ like.
    Good craic mostly.

    Later mate.