Joey Barton with the good luck 'stacheJoey Barton recently heeded Danny Simpson’s advise and decided to join Twitter. Joey has been known to be quite forward and somewhat outspoken and of course wasted no time pondering whether or not his biggest fans Robbie Savage and Piers Morgan would be as vicious in a logged and public manner. Of course they were and I assure you, it’s great fun bullying Mr. Morgan but after being bombarded with tweets from fans requesting he sign a new contract, Joey broke his relative silence.
Now I’m not in the habit of reporting the usual waste you hear on Twitter but, as they say, this is from the horses mouth.
I tend to be fairly positive and patient in regards to this club primarily because I understand knee jerk reactions don’t help us in the slightest. I like to wait for all the facts before I make a solid judgement and until then try to remain as calm as I can and stay as level headed as is humanly possible… but then something like this happens and that Zen-like state goes out of the window. (more…)
History with Ashley or Owl Heed?Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew intimates that Joey Barton’s ‘history’ with Ashley and co might be why he has not been offered a new contract.
Alan Pardew has been talking to the press (again!) and apparently he knew Joey Barton’s contract was always going to be a problem and hints at why that might be. Pardew said:
“I spoke to Joey on the last day [of the season] and I think we were both resigned that this contract was going to be a problem.
“Both of us are thinking next year we will be together and we will go on from there.
“Unless it changes over the summer and there’s a bid in that the board, myself and Joey feel works for Joey, I think he will be here for the start of the season. The thing about contracts is, times change.
“I’m not upset about it. I was more upset when we thought we had agreed and there was a change of heart. I knew it would be a problem to come back from that.(more…)
Player of the seasonJoey Barton will not be offered a new contract at Newcastle United.
It seems that the club will not be renewing the contract of Joey Barton, who was voted Player of the Season by this site (and others).
Barton’s agent Willie McKay said:
“I had a meeting with Newcastle managing director Derek Llambias and club secretary Lee Charnley and they have indicated Joey will not be offered a new contract.
“Joey will continue to be a Newcastle player next season and then he will leave on a free transfer at the end of his contract.
“Joey would have loved to have extended his stay at Newcastle, but unfortunately it is not to be.”
The last we heard was that Barton wanted a four year contract and the club were only going to offer him a two year contract. Whether or not that’s anything more than rumour is uncertain, but it would be one thing that explains why Barton and Newcastle are parting company. (more…)
Toon hierarchy meet to discuss aimsNewcastle United manager Alan Pardew meets with owner Mike Ashley to discuss the club’s aims for the 2011/2012 season.
Mike Ashley was up in the Toon this week talking to Alan Pardew about our aims as a club and how that translates in terms of summer transfer targets. Pardew seemed to think the meeting went well, saying:
“Mike came and we talked about certain players and values and the strategy and how the summer scouting is going to progress. I felt buoyed by the meeting. As a Premier League manager, I was quite satisfied.”
Pardew then goes on to explain that, although there are limitations we have to expect in terms of competing with the Premier League’s elite, Ashley and him nevertheless plan to aim as high as is realistically possible:
“Now it’s about recruitment and making sure the squads stronger. It’s quite obvious at this time we can’t compete with the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham and the top four.
“We could attract a squad here I know would keep us safe in this division but that’s not what Mike wants and it’s not what I want. We want to try and excel. We have to try and take a few chances with players that will keep us in the division but who might take us on to that next level.(more…)
Richie LargeportionsNewcastle United owner Mike Ashley is the 52nd richest man in the UK.
According to the Sunday Times Rich List, Mike Ashley’s fortune rose by £378m last year giving him a total wealth of £1,268,000,000, which is not to be sniffed at.
The sources of his riches are his stake in Sports Direct and monies received from property deals and dividends. But not Newcastle United.
If it was all in cash and he got just 1% interest that would equate to £12,680,000 before tax every year, which would certainly keep me in Earl Grey tea even at the vast amounts I drink. Although evidently – given Mr Ashley’s £378m increase last year – there are far better places to invest ones money than greedy, good for nothing banks at 1%.
This is good news for Newcastle fans as it means that Mr Ashley will be able to put huge amounts of money into the club to buy players next season and will not be worried about losing a few million here and there. I’m sure Mr Llambias will be chipping in too.
