Never forgetWell I’m a bit gutted that Simon Bird beat me to it but in fairness he’s got more time for this sort of thing and he gets paid for it. However, despite not always agreeing with what he has to say, he’s got this article spot-on in my opinion. I would hate to think that any protracted and complicated court proceedings would detract from our good start to the season but there are wrongs to be righted so far as I’m concerned.
This isn’t about Keegan versus the club, this is about Keegan and Ashley and a man clearing his name. A man who earned our respect on numerous occasions and helped to lift this club from it’s sagging backside, and from falling backwards into complete oblivion in the third tier of English football. A man who with his many faults, has never let this club down during his spells at the club.
Forget what happened elsewhere, though again there is argument to justify his actions and to contradict the cries of “bottler”. Remember what he did for this club and think about what that means and think about whether you really believe he would intentionally leave this club to rot.
However, also as Bird alludes to, this is more than just about our club or about Keegan. It’s about football in general and the multi-millionaire playground it has become. Where arrogance and ignorance at the top level, seem intent on ripping the guts out of our beautiful game. (more…)
A promotion race would do us the world of goodWhile fans are divided on their thoughts away from the pitch, it would be hard to argue that you’re not happy with the results on it. The football is hardly of the ‘total’ variety but in a results game, we’re grinding out the points where it counts and really, for now, that’s what matters most. Because it gives us something to get a bit carried away about and something to focus on. Not least it restores a bit of pride.
The last time we were relegated to this division, I was really just starting to watch regularly and for those old enough to reminisce prior to the ’90s, the parrallels between then and now will not be lost on you. The 88/89 season saw lose us our top flight status while discord was rife on the terracing and a Newcastle board struggled incompetently to run our beloved football club.
However, a summer and some inspired Jim Smith signings later, the sun was out, Mick Quinn and Mark McGhee led the division a merry dance and before you know it we’re sitting in a healthy league position behind the top two and the future was looking slightly rosier. (more…)
Tight as a......Here’s something a little controversial from someone who has had very little positive to say about Mike Ashley since last summer. What would you say if I was to suggest he may turn out to be, not the worst thing to have happened to Newcastle United in recent years? OK listen, I haven’t lost it completely, I don’t think. For the last twelve months, I’ve struggled to find an emotion beyond abject loathing to describe how I feel about the bloke but something is changing in me, even if I’m crucified for admitting it. At least hear me out anyway.
Football is arguably all about winning. The ‘getting there’ is part of the fun but is ultimately a means to an end for most. So what it comes down to is wanting to be successful. As a result, the game becomes about gaining a competitive advantage and one way to do that, is to throw a stack load of money at it, which we threw by the barrel load. And what did it get us? Naff-all except close to financial meltdown.
Instead, in rode Mike Ashley with his bright ideas, prudent business acumen and his novel notion of mixing with the working class kids in the stands. Once he tried to bring the good times back via Kevin Keegan’s third coming it all went pair-shaped but not before he’d implemented a financial strategy to put the club back onto a firmer footing. There is perhaps a fair argument to say that he did this for selfish reasons (to make a profit potentially more viable when the time came to sell?) and that we only benefitted as a by-product. (more…)
Is it really a year?It was about a year ago today, just after the 2008 summer transfer window closed, when Newcastle United went into the free-fall it has yet to recover from.
To be fair, the club wasn’t exactly setting the world alight before that and, arguably, the last period of stability ended when Sir Bobby Robson was given the sack. Freddie Shepherd had been spending the club into debt and had installed the revolving door for managers with both Roeder and Souness serving for less than a season before Shepherd settled on Sam Allardyce.
Then along came Ashley. Initially he was partnered by Chris Mort, who had helped Ashley with the takeover, and in January 2008 the pair sacked Allardyce, sensationally appointing Kevin Keegan as manager. A lot of people felt Mort was a good communicator who built important relationships with the fans, keeping them informed of the goings-on at St James’s Park and setting up things like the Newcastle United Foundation to bring the club into the community. Mort left in June 2008 and was replaced by Derek Llambias and thus began the regime of ‘Dastardly and Muttley’ at Newcastle United and it has been like Wacky Races ever since. (more…)
Third coming or nonsense?The Sun is reporting (also on Sky) that some gadgie called Sirous Mahjoob might take over Newcastle United and install Kevin Keegan as manager. Again.
In the ‘news’ as scribed by The Sun, Llambias said:
“We are dealing with several people and giving most of our time and attention to the sale.
“You must remember that some parties make offers but when it comes to putting up proof of funds they are a long way from sealing a deal.
“But I can say we are very close to completing a deal and it could happen next week.”
Which is good news I suppose. Llambias then goes on to say why it’s foolhardy to employ a permanent manager at the moment:
“It’s Catch 22 – anyone who signs a deal will want their own choice of manager.
“Look what happened when Mike took over, Sam Allardyce was already in place and he didn’t want him.”
Then there’s a report from someone said to be a spokesman for Sirous Mahjoob: (more…)
