Hughton: "Nothing in it".Newcastle United manager, Chris Hughton, has reacted to specious tabloid stories stating that Newcastle United players were to be rewarded with a pay cut if the club achieve promotion at the end of the season.
Somewhat ironically, the interview appeared in Newcastle rag, the Journal, which is a sister paper of one of the tabloids that were spreding the false story in the first place, The Mirror. The club’s Managing Director, Derek Llambias also came out to scotch the rumours, saying that there was “no truth whatsoever” in the story.
Hughton meanwhile, who as most Newcastle and Tottenham fans know is usually a very calm and measured character, was reported to be “clearly annoyed” by the media guff, and his words indicated that it was a distraction that he would not allow to affect the squad as they chase a return to the Premiership. He said:
“That financial story is not particularly helpful,” (more…)
Llambias: Stiff defence.Newcastle United’s Managing Director, Derek Llambias has once again mounted a stiff defence of the club’s owner, Mike Ashley. He reiterated that the club has now moved well away from the ‘trophy’ signings of the Shepherd era, and more towards the development of younger talent. Llambias also raised the spectre of Portsmouth’s current financial situation as a warning once again, heavily hinting that Newcastle may have gone the similar way if the decadance of the Shepherd years were allowed to continue.
Of course, this isn’t the first time Llambias made comments on a this theme recently, and he he seems to be on some kind of ‘counter offensive’ on behalf of Mike Ashley, himself, and their current stewardship of Newcastle United. He elaborates further in this interview though, and he began by contrasting the old model with the new, saying:
“We have to take a realistic view. Hopefully we will be there (in the Premier League) and we will have to have a squad that will keep us there. But that needs to grow.”
Hinting at the decadence of the Shepherd years and many previous, poorly negotiated contracts for players, he went on: (more…)
Llambias and Ashley the "Saviour".Newcastle United’s Managing Director, Derek Llambias has hit back at what he described as “a small and very negative group” who “insist on chanting ugly and abusive comments” directed at the club’s Southern owner, Mike Ashley. He also added that “If it wasn’t for Mike’s continued input, we would be in a similar position to Portsmouth.” Of course, Portsmouth are a club who are currently under Administration, and have even faced the threat of complete extinction in recent weeks.
Indeed, Newcastle United did find themselves in a very difficult financial situation after years of financial mismanagement and misappropriation of funds by previous chairmen, Sir John Hall and Freddy Shepherd, with the situation coming to a head when Ashley found over £100 million of hidden debt after taking over the club without performing adequate “Due Diligence” on the club’s accounts. (more…)
Moneyball is a funny old game...It’s the time of the year when Deloitte publish their annual ‘rich list’ of European clubs, and this years report holds a pleasant surprise for Newcastle United and offers us fans another chance to stick two fingers up at opposition taunts with the revelation that the Toon still have a place in top 20 of Europe’s richest clubs.
If anything the list confirms something that a lot of us already know, that Newcastle United have massive potential to be European contenders. The list publishes figures from the 2008/09 season which we all know was hit by many many troubles on and off the field, a combination of which ended in our relegation.
The report takes into account money that is generated on a day-to-day basis and it reveals that Newcastle United managed to generate £86 million pounds in a relegation season, not bad and can only be bettered by the likes of the Big 4, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City from the domestic game. Of course, however much of that £86 million was then spent on wages and other day-to-day running costs is an open question that can only be answered by the official accounts being published. (more…)
Ashley: £25 million cash injection?In a somewhat surprising article in todays News of the World, it has been revealed that our illustrious owner, Mike Ashley, has stepped into the breach during December, loaning the club another £25 million to keep it a going concern. Now this is from the News of the World and huge pinches of salt are required as this story also features our old friend ‘the club source’.
Apparently this money has been given to us on in interest only basis to help pay the wages and cover the general day to day running costs of Newcastle United. It has been said that some of this cash was used to fund the purchases of January signings Danny Simpson, Leon Best, Wayne Routledge and Mike Williamson. Now I’m going to start running through the article so sit down for club inside knowledge and sensationalism. The ‘club source’ said to the Sport of the World: (more…)
