The scales of justice A few minutes from the Seymour Pierce offices at Old Bailey in London is the highest court in the land. Until a few hundred years ago, those found guilty of high treason were sentenced to be ‘hanged, drawn and quartered’, and the subsequent executions took place close by either in Smithfield market or the Tower of London. This most violent and terrible of all executions saw the poor souls hung by the neck, taken down before they lost consciousness, sliced open, disemboweled, then beheaded and the body quartered and left in various locations throughout the city, on display as a deterent to anyone else who felt like committing treason.
It’s therefore quite ironic that the last vestiges of what many people believe to be a treacherous reign by Mike Ashley is likely to be carried out in this location. For many Mike Ashley should be facing the same punishment for bringing our club into disrepute. But before he is finally cast as a complete and unadulterated villain hell bent on destroying the club and the embodiement of all things evil, lets take a quick look back at some of the Newcastle times of Mike Ashley. (more…)
No, not that sort of model! As I was sat at my breakfasting table this morning, fending off a dog and two cats who had designs on my bacon sandwich, my thoughts turned to the subject of models. Not the size zeros that act as clothes pegs on the catwalk though – I’m talking about football club models.
In Mike Ashley’s statement following the Keegan departure, he tried to defend what he called his ‘Arsenal Model’ for the club but, as the last bit of my bacon sandwich disappeared into a grateful dog, I realised I was a bit bemused by what the Arsenal Model actually is.
In terms of finances, I can only see two models for a football club. Either you look to make a profit (or at least break-even) or you have an owner with deep pockets who doesn’t mind funding things at a loss. If you’re going to try and make a profit then it makes sense to look for young up and coming players you can get at a decent price who either give you good value for money as your future stars or you sell them on at a profit. There are ‘in between’ scenarios where for example you might borrow some money against future success but ultimately you either make a profit or have a rich owner who doesn’t care. I am not sure how clubs like Liverpool, who reputedly owe many millions, are going to achieve financial balance. (more…)
Kwai Chang NUFC I was quite upset a few weeks ago when David Carradine died. I was an avid fan of the ‘Kung Fu’ TV series in the 70’s, so it was a shock to read that Kwai Chang Caine is no more. I particularly liked the way he used to preach pacifism, tranquility and peace but always ended up kicking ten bells out of someone before the end of the programme.
Kwai Chang Caine was a Shaolin Monk of the Zen Buddhist persuasion and such people believe that all suffering in life is caused by craving and expectations. If you don’t crave anything you won’t suffer when you don’t get it, if you see what I mean.
Bear with me, I’m getting on-topic now.
It is fair to say that Newcastle United supporters could teach Zen Monks a thing or two about suffering. Since the era of Sir Bobby Robson – and possibly even before that – things have been steadily getting worse for our club, mainly, I’d venture to suggest, because it has been run by clowns. First it was Freddie Shepherd rigging up the bucket of water to fall on our heads and then it was Mike Ashley ensuring we were never short of a custard pie in the face. Oh how we laughed, and so on and so forth.
But you know all that. What I’m wondering is what constitutes a realistic set of expectations from here on? (more…)
Howay Superman, we need you!Superman, Batman, Spiderman all superheroes to a man. But will we find ours? Out of the alleged 4 groups currently undergoing due diligence, will there be a Clark Kent to come and save us? Or will he just fly right on out of toon after seeing the state we’re in?
But what if the worst case scenario happens and after seeing the books no-one is prepared to buy at the current valuation and Mike Ashley refuses to accept the price they are willing to pay? Now that’s not a scenario any of us want to envisage but what if that’s the outcome? What happens next? With the club due to dish out £10m in loyalty payments to the players before the 30th June, and staged transfer payments of £29.2m allegedly due for 10 players we have purchased over the last several years, Mike Ashley must rue the day he ever thought of buying a football club for a bit of fun!
New Owner(s) on the horizon? Did your mam ever tell you that you’d get sore eyes staring out of the window, while you desperately searched for a glimpse of whatever or whoever was of the utmost importance to you at the time? Are you familiar with the saying “a watched kettle never boils” or “a watched pot never boils” if you’re slightly older….Ever had one of those days, weeks or months, when time seems to stand still?
If you can relate to any or all of those, then you’ll know what I mean when I feel like all of those sayings are fairly poignant in relation to the deafening silence that currently pervades the corridors at Barrack Road and in the remote offices controlling the future of our beloved club. (more…)
