Archive for tag: Real Madrid.

Real deal? – Madrid in for Toon’s improved Coloccini?

December 27th, 2009 | 20 Comments |

fabricio_colocciniThe Sunday Sun and several blogs since have been full of the rumour that Real Madrid are after Fabricio Coloccini. Well technically the paper was full of the rumour and the blogs just reckon Neil Farrington is full of it. Farrington writes that Madrid are weighing up a bid for Coloccini, following a cartilage problem suffered by their Portuguese international centre-half, Pepe, who’s injury may keep him out for the rest of the season.

Allegedly there are others on the shortlist, including Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic and Velez Sarsfield youngster Nicolas Otamendi, who is also Argentinian. But according to Farrington, Ivanovic looks set to sign a new contract at Stamford Bridge and Otamendi lacks height and experience. Which would apparently put our fella top of the wanted pile.

So the Galacticos want our vastly-improved stopper? Fact or fanciful fiction? Stranger things have happened so you’ll not find me jumping the gun, even if the Sunday Sun has occasionally been as wide of the mark in recent times as Rob McDonald was in a black and white shirt. Though if you mentioned it this time last year, despite our Premiership status, I guess to a man we’d have laughed our danglies off, as he struggled to adapt to the English league. (more…)

Are you the next Mike Ashley?

November 11th, 2009 | 121 Comments |

Fan ownership campaign starts
Fan ownership campaign starts
The 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…)