Derek Llambias: Absolutely full of it.With the news that Newcastle United will be changing it’s name to “Sports Direct @ St James’ Park”, the Managing Director of the club, Derek Llambias, has sought to reassure fans that the St James’ Park name would remain so long as he and current owner, Mike Ashley “reigned” at the club.
Firstly though, he told BBC Radio Newcastle about how this would be a “showcase” to lure prospective outside sponsors would would bring much needed revenue into the club saying:
“We will showcase Sports Direct until the end of the season,” then adding:
“I’m sure we’re going to get a sponsor in for next season.”
When asked if the name “St James’ Park” would always remain, Llambias then reassured fans by responding:
“Absolutely. In our reign, absolutely.”
“It’s adding to it, and if it brings in a good chunk of money to the club, that goes straight to the team, then do you know what, it’s a revenue we should look at.”(more…)
Will a name change be the next step?Now confirmed rumours have been circulating around the rumour mill today that Newcastle United will shortly make an announcement that St James’ Park will known in future as the “Sports Direct Arena”.
Earlier today, Times journalist Tony Evans Tweeted about the name change on his Twitta site, but it was later withdrawn amidst further rumours that the news had been embargoed by the club and a request made to remove it. Meanwhile, there were also suggestions on Radio Five live today that the “Geordie Soap Opera” would be in full flow “sooner than we think” after the recent calmness on that front.
Whilst it hasn’t been officially announced yet, from previous experience, it would hardly be surprising to see Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias using the club’s current success in the Premiership as a good time to make yet another crass and awful announcement which further denigrates the club. (more…)
Hmmmmm...Well known Newcastle United site nufc.com have posted the image you see here of the new sign over St James’ Park’s East Stand, much favoured by pensioners with tartan lap rugs and flasks of tea, and myself I may add. But I digress…
The picture, posted by “KM”, was supposedly taken on Wednesday, September 14th, and as you can see, the sign isn’t quite “exactly the same” as the club claimed in a statement. The lettering has been italicised to fit in with the much more important Sports Direct signage which will now be flanking it.
Toon blogger, Steve Wraith, claimed on his Twitta around a week ago that when completed, the sign would read:
“(puma logo) sportsdirect newcastle united sports direct (puma logo)”
And he certainly seems to be right so far. However time will tell once and for all when the Blackburn game referred to above takes place on Saturday, 24th September. (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…)
C'mon Mike - what's the deal?What is Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley up to and is it time for him to let us in on his plans?
Mike Ashley still divides opinion at Newcastle. Some people like him and think he’s good for the club and others hate him and would have him hogtied, marched to the Bigg Market and placed in the stocks to be pelted with projectiles of choice. Then there are plenty of shades of grey in the middle of that – people who either think some of his ideas are bad and some are okay, or folk that are deferring opinion for now.
One thing Ashley rarely is, though, is predictable. Who, at the beginning of Ashley’s term of office, would have predicted he’d usher in the return of Keegan, precipitate Keegan’s unfair dismissal, put the club up for sale twice, receive accusations of being both cockney and Mafioso, appoint Chris Hughton as manager, sack Chris Hughton for no obvious reason, appoint Alan Shearer as manager, dig up Alan Pardew and make him manager, replace Chris Mort with a man of the owlish persuasion, oversee the team’s relegation, oversee the team’s subsequent promotion, rename St James’ Park to an email address and the plethora of other things he does that keep us guessing?
He’s certainly caused a fair bit of unrest in his time and I understand the sales of bedsheets in Tyneside shops have never been better. (more…)
