Ashley: May be fat, but not a “Cockney”Has Mike Ashley reduced Newcastle United’s debt?
Hmmm.
Well, it has been several months since Newcastle United published their last set of audited accounts at Companies House (March 2011), and that was for 2009/10. However, at that time it did appear as if the debt had actually risen significantly, though it is hard to deny that the the club are in a somewhat less perilous position finacially since Mike Ashley took over the club from the gruesome twosome, Freddy Shepherd and Douglas Hall.
In June 2007 when Ashley finally gained full control of the club, it looked as if the club was £71 million in debt, however, after Ashley’s takeover, it became apparent that the mortgage on the ground had to be paid off, and the level of debt was actually £124 million. More details are available from the site NUFC Finances site.
In the last published set of accounts, published in March 2011 (for 2009/10), they revealed that the club’s net debt at that time stood at around £150 million, most of this figure being owed to a certain Mr.MJW.Ashley of Totteridge, Hertfordshire. It also revealed that despite a slightly misleading statement by Newcastle United in May 2010 which read: (more…)
Sports Direct United.As the post mortem on Newcastle United’s transfer window continues amongst fans, with Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias failing in their attempt to fulfill Alan Pardew’s bold prophecy of a new striker at St James’, comes the unwelcome news that the FA will be charging Pardew for making inappropriate comments about about referee, Howard Webb, before the 20th August Sunderland game.
The fan’s cup of bile has also been added to with the news that the iconic Newcastle United sign has been taken down, possibly to make way for yet more tawdry and sacrilegious Sports Direct branding at the Barrack Road temple?
Firstly, on our manager, he has been informed that he has been charged by the FA for “inappropriate conduct” for his comments about Howard Webb, and former midfielder Joey Barton in the run up to our last encounter with the vagrants of Wearside. The charges centre around the manager’s comment’s that Webb would have to be “neutral” and “astute” in dealing with Barton’s treatment by the team from the Neolithic side of the North East, the offending comments being: (more…)
Mike Ashley: Playing a dangerous game at NUFC?With the new season just a few short hours from kick off, Toon fans everywhere take stock of the events of the past few months and are no doubt wondering what kind of start we’ll have given the merciless squad upheaval.
Since the transfer window opened Geordies have sat around with baited breath hoping for some good news to pop up on the Sky Sports News Ticker. Needless to say, it’s been a rollercoaster ride. [Neil] Taylor, Gervinho, Gameiro, Cabaye, Erdinc, Nolan, Marveaux, Ba, Barton, Routledge, Enrique, Crouch, Defoe, Long, Beckford, Lovenkrands, Bendtner, Benayoun – and that’s just the players we’ve bought, sold, are supposed to be selling or been linked with that I can think of off the top of my head!
Toon fans are a rugged lot and we’ve put up with enough of the proverbial for us to be able to pick apart a rumour from a genuine story and gladly celebrate when we are linked to a top player; at least somebody out there thinks we can sign Messi for an estimated £8m.
Still, taken into account our outgoing transfers (Nolan, Enrique, Routledge) and comparing them to our incoming (Cabaye, Marveaux, Abeid, Ba, Obertan) – I’d usually say we’ve done pretty well! (more…)
Yohan Cabaye in WaterworldIn a match that seemed more suited to swimming trunks and armbands rather than a football kit, Newcastle and Fiorentina braved the atrocious weather in order to win the final friendly of pre-season.
Plumes of water shot up from every foot fall, a wake of rain tracked the ball through it’s journey around the hallowed turf and most annoying of all, the ball had a tendency to stick with each pass. Not the best of days to play football, then.
Contrary to popular belief, rain makes for amazing weather to play football in. You’re constantly moving to keep warm and every tackle gives you a new mark of war as mud tracks along your body and clothes – nothing better on a Sunday afternoon if you ask me. On the other hand, when you’re playing a match against the purple clad Italian giants, a kickaround with your mates doesn’t really seem to come close.
From the kick off Newcastle looked to put the opposition on the back foot and short of a beautiful passing display by the Italians, they never really looked like scoring. There were times when we overcommitted and almost conceded but Tim Krul showed some very safe hands to keep the scoreline level. (more…)
Ankle injury requires surgery.At the holy ground of St. James Park it’s always been a case of “it never rains but it pours”, which is of course the shortened version. The full idiom is “it never rains but it pours toxic waste with the occasional sharp object thrown in to further increase damage.” Not even joking.
Our long standing goalkeeper Steve Harper has already decided to stay on the bench in favour of giving young Tim Krul a chance to impress between the sticks and so far the young Dutchman has done exactly that, and long may it continue! Newcastle United may lack depth in other areas, we have a wealth of gold in our goalkeepers and have done for many years but now it seems it’s time for that young gold to start shining as Ole Soderberg will be on the bench for the important game against Chelsea this coming Sunday. (more…)
