Is he or isn't he?Chris Hughton doesn’t rule out bringing Sol Campbell to Newcastle United.
I think Hughton is yanking my chain because back on 31st October I wrote an article suggesting that Campbell was one of his transfer targets but then on the 3rd November I had to write an article saying he wasn’t after Hughton said:
“There is no truth in this whatsoever. The first I heard about it was when it was on the television in the morning. We are looking elsewhere and it is an ongoing thing. Sol is an excellent player but there is nothing happening regarding him coming to Newcastle.”
However, it now seems Sol Campbell is a transfer target for Hughton after all. Hughton said yesterday:
“Sol is one signing that might possibly happen here.
“He’s still got a lot to offer the game and, although he’ll get a lot of offers, I wouldn’t rule him coming to Newcastle out.”
“I wouldn’t expect Sol to be fit enough to play again until after Christmas.” (more…)
Fan ownership campaign startsThe Newcastle United Supporters Trust (NUST) has launched its ‘Yes We Can’ campaign, which aims to raise enough funds to finance a fan buy out of the club.
The NUST’s plan, which has been dubbed ‘Barcelona on the Tyne’ by the financial community, aims to democratise the club and ensure that the ‘current situation at Newcastle United does not repeat itself’ (NUST’s words).
Fans will be able to invest in the club via a number of ‘financial opportunities’ and the money will be held in Escrow by local solicitors to provide proof of funds to Mike Ashley.
Fan ownership is of course popular on the continent, perhaps most notably at places like Barcelona and Real Madrid. At Barcelona fans pay £139/year to acquire ‘socio status’ and for that you get the right to buy the best season tickets and take part in the club’s decision-making process. There are about 172,000 ‘socios’ whose fees raise approximately £24m/year before selling any season tickets, television rights, merchandise etc. (more…)
United?A couple of apologies first. One for introducing Marcus Bentley’s dulcet Big Brother tone into your head and secondly for perhaps once again putting the cat amongst the pigeons on a sensitive and potentially divisive topic. The topic? Well it’s the topic of whether or not you’re doing your duty by Newcastle United in attending games or staying away. And if you do, how much are you allowed to complain before you stop becoming a supporter and instead become a destroyer?
Other far more respected and established writers on sites, such as True Faith and .com have had their say on the matter, and each offered only limited advice as to the right actions to take last Saturday, effectively a ‘follow your heart and your instincts’ theme. I wanted to actually write this before the Peterborough game but for the very reason I almost missed the game, I didn’t get chance. With all that has happened recently, this is one game I wanted to be at. I wanted to see if the majority of my fellow supporters felt as indignant as I did/do. But due to my daughter’s fifth birthday I nearly didn’t make it. But I was issued a late afternoon pass and offered the blessing of the two ladies in my life to go and enjoy myself. And of course therein lay the issue. (more…)
Pro-Ashley?Newcastle United’s Jonas Gutierrez did not celebrate his goal on Saturday with his trademark ‘Spiderman’ mask. This has already been covered, but it also appears he wasn’t too keen on the anti-Ashley demonstrations.
According to report in the Telegraph, Jonas did indeed leave the mask behind because he was unhappy about press speculation related to him wanting to leave the club, but he went on to say:
“We know the crowd were shouting out something to the owner but we try not to think about that because it can be difficult for us.
“The only thing we can think about is to win and get the three points. We know if we do that the crowd will be happy.
“We try to win for the crowd. When they are shouting to the owner we don’t think about it. I have met him and I think the owner is doing really good things for Newcastle. They want to stay. The team is good.
“It is good for Newcastle.
“We are going about things in the right way. We try to win all the games and the owner is now doing the right things. We know Chris Hughton is the manager now and that is very important.” (more…)
Open to offersAccording to the Mirror, Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer is available to manage other clubs with immediate effect.
Shearer was of course pointedly ignored for the Toon job despite his 8-week temporary appointment being called “the best decision I ever made” by Ashley. Even then though, Shearer was still in with a chance as it was widely believed that Barry Moat favoured him as manager if he had succeeded in buying the club.
However, just as Moat was nearing some sort of deal to buy Newcastle United, Ashley pulled the club off the market, appointed Chris Hughton as manager until the end of the 2011 season and that was the end of Shearer’s chances of managing the club for the immediate future.
Last month, Shearer claimed he was ‘open to offers’ from other clubs but the Mirror seems to be claiming that he’s now going to take a more active role in pursuing a new job. (more…)
