Newcastle United: £32.6 million profit after player trading.Newcastle United’s annual accounts were finally released to the public today by Companies House.
These, of course, are the accounts which cover last season, our first since being promoted back to the Premiership at the first attempt. As previously announced in a PR statement by the club’s Managing Director, Derek Llambias, operating losses before player trading fell to -£3.9 million, which is significantly down from a loss of £33.5 million for the period which covered our season in the Championship. However, the club’s overall profit after player trading was a mighty £32.6 million. This of course was due largely to one man, not Mike Ashley, or Derek Llambias, but Andy Carroll, whose sale to Liverpool FC brought in a huge £35 million to the club’s coffers. This is up from a loss of -£17.1 million in the previous year. According to the report, this profit “has been transferred to the club’s reserves.”
Newcastle United debt
On the matter of the club’s debts the report and financial statements reports:
“The overall level of net debt (including shareholder support loans and net of cash) has fallen from £150 million to £130.5 million.”
Basically, this figure is a £140 million pound debt to the club’s owner, Mr. M.J.W. Ashley, minus a positive bank cash balance of £9.5 million. This is still significantly higher than it was when Mr. Ashley took over the club in 2007, when it was around £70 million. However, this £70 million figure did not include the mortgage on the ground which had to be paid off, which took the true level of debt to around £124 million. (more…)
...And Cash Up Front Please!This transfer business can sometimes be similar to a game of chess between the clubs involved, but if it is a game then one thing is for sure, over the last couple of seasons Newcastle United have shown themselves to be one of the better players – with the quiet but efficient aquisition of plyers like Cheick Tiote, Yohan Cabaye and Demba Ba smoothly and with the minimum of fuss.
In contrast with the past, United go about their business quietly and sign up some gems before other clubs are alerted and can compete. We don’t always get the players we want of course, but that’s life!
Take the most recent example of our interest in Watford defender Adrian Mariappa. Nobody saw that coming, and it was Watford who let the negotiations out of the bag, with their boss Sean Dyche telling anyone who would listen “Newcastle United are miles away with their bid”. However, the game is afoot – the Hornets have refused to give United a valuation for the player and are obviously just waiting to see how high they can get the price to go as the clock ticks towards transfer deadline day. (more…)
Carroll: That isn't an NUFC contract he's signing.Once again the tabloid media have attempted to test our credulity, this time with the risible idea that Liverpool would be willing to dispose of Andy Carroll for a fraction of the £35 million they paid for him just one year ago, and to Newcastle United of all clubs.
Firstly the figure of £20 million was bandied around by the media, then £15 million, then it even went as low as £10 million. However, whilst Derek Llambias, Mike Ashley and Alan Pardew are at the club, the chances of this happening must be slim to say the least.
For a start, there is such a thing as pride in business sometimes and Liverpool are still a proud club. They will hardly feel inclined to do Newcastle United any favours after Derek Llambias’ ill advised revelations in a Newcastle gastro pub. Just to remind you, when asked by a fan if Carroll was worth £30 million, the potty mouthed M.D. replied:
“No – he’s worth f*** all.”
Then, bragging how he and Mike Ashley took “control” of the hapless Merseyside club, who had just sold Fernando Torres for a record breaking £50 million to Chelsea, he then added: (more…)
Zaha allegedly a Newcastle United targetRumours abound about Andy Carroll, Ravel Morrison, Junior Hoilett and Wilfried Zaha but so far there has been no action from Newcastle United in this transfer window.
After yesterday’s rumours about Andy Carroll‘s potential return to Newcastle, people have been queueing up to dismiss it all as twaddle. Apparently Newcastle have denied they’ve had any contact at all with Liverpool about Carroll and Carroll himself allegedly Twitted that it was rubbish, although the only quoted denial I could find was from Kenny Dalglish, who yesterday said:
“Och aye the noo, I am worried about the people that invent these rumours. They have absolutely no foundation whatsoever. I don’t need to justify what is in the paper. I have stood up – and always will stand up – for the players.”
And yet the rumours seem to persist and a lot of the press still think Carroll will eventually return to Newcastle, possibly at the end of the season. Make what you will of it! (more…)
Back in black and white?Newcastle United appear to be interested in a couple of strikers if press reports are to be believed, one of which could be Andy Carroll.
The big news to hit the press today is the rumours that Newcastle may be trying to strike a deal to bring Andy Carroll back from Liverpool.
Our friend the Daily Mail says that a top agent rang Newcastle to offer them Carroll for just £20m, which we refused, and then the agent came back and offered him for £15m plus add-ons (whatever they may be), which again was refused by Newcastle. The Mail goes on to suggest that Newcastle are prepared to offer £10m for the player – substantially more than Derek Llambias’s previous estimate that he’s worth “eff all” – as long as Carroll takes a substantial cut in his £90k/week salary.
Carroll has only managed 6 goals in his 31 appearances for Liverpool since his £35m move a year ago in contrast to the 11 he scored for us in 20 games in the half season before we sold him. He has had to content himself with coming on as a substitute for Liverpool more often than getting a place in the starting XI. (more…)
