And rightly so in my opinion. It makes a change for a local authority to stand up for something that is held so close to the hearts of many of its residents.
It’s not just the residents that who have something to lose in this after all. For fans it’s merely an emotional attachment to the name but for the local council it is a source of income fro tourism and the name and stature of St James’ Park is something that is a key component of advertising the City of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne to any number of parties ranging from investors to property developers to tourism agencies. And let’s not forget that the council, in part at least, owns the ground St James’ Park is built on!
Newcastle City Council’s cabinet member for quality of life, Henri Murison, said: “The name of St James’ Park has been synonymous with Newcastle United football club and the city for more than 130 years.”
“It is recognised around the world and the decision to change it, without consultation, will upset the overwhelming majority of fans who loyally support the team week in and week out.”
“While I understand the commercial reasons for renaming sports venues when they relocate, this is not the case in this instance, and some things are beyond profit when they mean so much to people.”
“The football club is part of the beating heart of the city, and while the council values its relationship with the club, it has no plans to change any existing wayfinding signs which bear the name St James’ Park.”
“As far as the fans and Newcastle City Council are concerned, the home of Newcastle United will always be known as St James’ Park.”
As I said earlier, the Council part owns the land along with the Freemen of the City so it’s nice to hear them echo the views of many fans and insist on still calling it St James’ Park. Ultimately though they are powerless to step in and stop any changes in the name of the ground, or at least it seems that way, and lets not forget that they did give planning permission for all the signs on the exterior of the ground. Maybe in doing so they made a rod for their own back?
It will always be St James’ Park to the fans and I personally will never refer to it as it’s new official name. The unofficial one has been good enough for me, my parents, my grandparents, my great grandparents and my great great grandparents for over 130 years and that is something that will never be changed.
It’s a habit, but it’s a habit I won’t be breaking any time soon!
TP @ 73 running the price of what into the ground ?
Big Dave(Quote)
Keith it isnt an asset … he has that cash tied up in a company that currently makes no profit and the cash flow is tied up with paying off existing debts, rather than having the cash invested in another company that was making money .. you can be sure he would rather have that cash out of NUFC making money. So it is an interest free load for NUFC but it is a nasty waste if cash for MA. For what its worth i agree with pretty much all of MA decisions, think he has learnt quickly – tell me our last chairman that did a decent job ..
TOONPIPES(Quote)
Gotta be honest though, what does it really matter what it says on the front of the stadium? We will always call it St James’ Park so who really gives a fck? Not me that’s for sure.
They changed the bane of Durham CC’s ground a couple of years back but I still don’t know what it’s called and always refer to it as Riverside or Chester-Le-Street.
Think people need to stop being so precious.
That said I wouldn’t want any company getting it for nowt.
Stuart79(Quote)
Batty he will keep doing it too because he knows there is enough fans that will just roll on their backs and take what ever he decides to give them.
Big Dave(Quote)
Evening Dave, running the price we can expect to achieve for the naming rights into the ground .. whilst there are knuckle heads running round kicking off, the bigger investors will steer well clear, whereas if we all in support + the club is stable – ie, the sponsor can see that fans will turn up guaranteed every week and see their sign etc, we can expect to achieve a higher price ..
TOONPIPES(Quote)
Stardust@41:
Thats fair enough and I grudgingly admit that he has done some good. To me though, you seem blinded to the moral aspects of some of his decisions.
What I mainly object to, is the lies. This is the latest lie. They said they wouldn’t do this in 2009, and I have no doubt that the drivel they have spoken about this will be proven to be lies in about a years time.
3rd place in the league or not, I can’t wait until the day our owner sells up. The owners don’t realise how close they were to being given a second chance by the majority of fans,myself included, but yet again they’ve blown it. Just to advertise Sports Direct. Yay, great stuff.
NorthernPaul(Quote)
haha Batty ,, toon legends like KK who took our beloved club to court and took our cash .. hold on, this is our club right – its ours cos we are the geordie faithful…. so actually KK took all of us to court and stole our cash .. big Al is nee manager – not yet and not for a prem club .. can you explain what you meant ..
TOONPIPES(Quote)
How I see it is the stadium could have a new name every three years say. Its crackers
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Jeff Sterling got it spot on >
“But people all over the world recognise St James’ Park as Newcastle’s home. To destroy that affinity is abject nonsense and I’m sure that every true Newcastle fan will abhor this name change”
Big Dave(Quote)
TOONPIPES – Think the thing that gets people’s goat is that the club refuse to admit that Ashley is starting to take his loan back. Now he’s absolutely entitled to do that but unless they come out and tell people, they will always be bad blood because as Llambias said this morning “our fans expect us to sign players” and he’s right but only because we brought in a shut load if money in the last year and haven’t spent much of it.
Stuart79(Quote)
you carnt put a price on history and heritage.every true geordie knows this the money we would receive (about 5 mill a year)just isnt worth it..
hitman(Quote)
toonpipes @82 hahaha you are showing your self up to be a right tool ,KK did what was right unlike fatty the liaring c unt ,any 1 who slags king kev are as bad as the fat c unt
batty(Quote)
Batty I agree with you they are true Legends without them we would be in the bluesquare or some other lower league team. If KK didn’t take over I believe thats where we would have been and we would never have got Big Al.
TP @ 80 do you honestly believe that Jabba is going to sell the naming rights of SJP to someone else ??
Big Dave(Quote)
toonpipes if you get 5 mins try taking fattys **** oot of ya gob then we might understan what your saying 🙂
batty(Quote)
Toonpipes:
KK is a man of morals. He got screwed by the tossers and fought his side to prove what liars the board are. He did it for the fans as much as himself. Oh, and I seem to remember he won.
And the attendances will be up because the club has just conned a lot of people into buying season tickets, just before dropping the latest bombshell.
The sponsor already knows what he’s got, because I guarantee that the name of the stadium won’t change again. The ‘showcase’ is to benefit Ashleys company, and not NUFC.
It’s all lies and bollocks yet again.
NorthernPaul(Quote)
stole our cash 😆 😆 😆 wheres the 35 mil gone 😕
batty(Quote)
Telegraph Sport understands the mobile phone company O2 is one possible partner, particularly as Llambias wants to turn the 52,000 capacity stadium into a multipurpose venue, capable of hosting concerts and shows in the summer.
hitman(Quote)
toonpipes @82 HE **** ON 2 TOON LEDGENDS you got that or are you saying they were not toon ledgends 😕 😕 😕 😕 😕 😕 😕
batty(Quote)
Disgraceful decision, yet the sad FACT of life is that in 10 years time every stadium name in the land will be up for sale… Just like every other sporting venue around the world. Should we be the last to embrace it or the first?
Sacrifices sometimes need to be made for the greater good. Even if I’m not happy about it I’ll still understand why.
One foot wonder(Quote)
spot on paul @90
batty(Quote)
Hitman how many 02 arenas can there be ? thats all BS spin the club has put out to try to pacify the fans.
Does anyone know if there is any links to the radio interview the owl done today ?
Big Dave(Quote)
IJeff Stelling did get it right, i am gutted, but i can get over it if it means performances will be better and so far, i have said the same thing everytime MA has done something like this and the performances have got better .. so im willing to give it a shot .. thats all.
TOONPIPES(Quote)
Apparently we’re interest in signing Bojan 😯
Fits the profile. Immense potential, young, fallen off the wagon a bit….
toonsy(Quote)
Big Dave, mebs he won’t sell the naming rights to someone else, but then won’t he be doing himself out of some cash? If he doesnt, then hopefully MA will make more cash out of SD and then he’ll have more cash to either write off his debts and NUFC and go, or he will use the cash to invest further in the toon ….
TOONPIPES(Quote)
Toonsy .. sounds interesting .. where did you read that?
TOONPIPES(Quote)
toonpipes@77
is this the cavalry !
it makes no profit excluding player sales….
But hey presto if you add the player sales in its over 50 million pounds in profit this year this money does exist doesent it ?
What has he learned to keep lying to us !
The last two chairman were not great blokes and as business men it was there job to make money but not at any cost , and they backed there managers ( to much ) in buying players in short they had a concern for the team as well as making money and is that not our main concern as fans … the team !
M Ashley has never put money into the team and never will but will continue to take money out any way shape or form , so in that respect the previous two owners were better yes .
And all the evidence in the world and history points to this ending badly for the club and the team and the fans.
keith(Quote)
toonsy carnt see bojan coming like he will be on canny wages
hitman(Quote)
KK is man that looks after himself and he was as csh thirsty as MA .. he wanted MONEY to buy new players .. and he wanted MONEY for himself when MA told him he cudnt spunk cash on aged old players that were not worth the fees charged.
TOONPIPES(Quote)
owlheed says > “To compete we need to go further, we’ve had a fantastic start. The fans want us to buy more players, we need a new striker in January, we’ll need replacements in the summer. We need to give ourselves as much of a chance as possible.”
Easy solution to that spend the Judas money that should give us a chance to go further
Big Dave(Quote)
I can just see it. The O2 arena (north east). If they had kept the still ***** @ st James park. O2 @ st James park doesn’t sound as bad and it satisfies everyone probably.
Micky Toon(Quote)
Keith ive already gone over too much old ground my bad lets leave it there .. TOON TOON … has anyone heard if Cabaye is going to be back for the man s hitty game?
TOONPIPES(Quote)
tp @103 spunk the cash lol modric for 15 mill and sweinstieger ,wonder what there worth now KK has always had an eye for a bargin
batty(Quote)
Toonsy, dont start with rumours mate, its only November! 😆
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
pipes@106,fkin chicken keith has you on the ropes
hitman(Quote)
Dave and Batty cheers for the happy 50th and now worries
I am gutted about the name change, I’m still going to call it St James, no matter what happens I will always still call it that
Zoë Vicarage(Quote)
tp give ya head a shake 😆
batty(Quote)
TP @ 103 what ‘ aged old players ‘ would that be ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
Toonpipes@103
Thats a crazy idea. I mean who would have thought you would need MONEY to buy players? I’m afraid you can’t pay for players with 1000 giant Sports Direct mugs. And even free transfers cost approximately £35 million.
And as for that being the reason for him leaving, then I suggest you go back through the archives as you seem to have forgotten the details. Fact. 😉
NorthernPaul(Quote)
we didnt have 15 mill batty, but if we can sell the naming rights to the stadium mebs we will!!
TOONPIPES(Quote)
batty paul i agree keegan only did good for this club and cared while doing it ,but the court proved that eh 😉
keith(Quote)
If I win the euro millions I’ll buy the rights and change the name back, but I also want the shirt sponsorship. Ill put Ashley is a **** on the front. The greedy ******* would let me do it too, as long as I was paying him.
Micky Toon(Quote)
Spencer/Hitman – It was tweeted by Mercato
Heard about the O2 link aswell. Pretty reputable company in fairness. I’m not paying more on my bill though 😆
toonsy(Quote)
WEVE GOT NEE MONEY BECOS KEEGAN AND ALL THE OTHER MANAGERS KEPT SPUNKING IT ON PLAYERS THAT WE MADE NO PROFIT ON !!!!!!!!!! THATS WHY WE ARE IN THE MESS THAT ALLOWED SOMEONE LIKE MA TO AQUIRE THE CLUB JEEEEEEEEEEESH !!!
TOONPIPES(Quote)
Tell you what why dont wealthy toon businessmen get together and pay MA 15 mill to keep the name ST JAMES….?? answer, cos nee one has the cash so we got nee choice – get a grip and get over it ..
TOONPIPES(Quote)
toonpipe what money did keegan spunk on players plz explain 😕 😕
batty(Quote)
I dont care where you got it from, i Dont wont to hear rumours 😈 😆 😆 😆
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
Hitman, as always you just moan and never actually make a reasoned point so back to you knitting and washin
TOONPIPES(Quote)
pipes we got 35 mill for the judas where has it gone…
time to send toonpipes down south (coventry)me thinks 😆 😆 😆 😆
hitman(Quote)
Batty, it is managers like Keegan who paid for players like shearer and asprilla and then subsequent managers who bought players like luque and vianna etc etc who were at the top of their value and we didnt recover any money .. then we had Owen and then Martins and Viduka all players who we paid massive wages and made nee profit on .. thats where all OUR money has gone …….. terrible management becos football men were allowed to control the finances .. instead of focusin on football .. what we have now is business men looking after the finances and a football man focusing on the football ..
TOONPIPES(Quote)
Zoe no probs and again im sorry for ranting off topic on your thread 😥
I just believe that there is important things in live that are worth more than money and worth fighting for.
Thinking of things worth fighting for tomorrow I will be honouring those that fought for what they believed in because without them we would all be Germans now or over run by the Taliban etc and I have had family members that died in a few different conflicts, fighting for what they believed in then and fighting in my Country to keep it British.
All gave some
Some gave all
Big Dave(Quote)
Hitman, sort the dishwasher oot and get me dinner made
TOONPIPES(Quote)
Big Dave, you should tell everyone who keeps demanding big names signing that cost money that they shud stop worrying about that
TOONPIPES(Quote)
haha,we bought xisco/ gonzales on ashleys watch.
what the fk is this idiot going on about
hitman(Quote)
Owlheed said….
“We can’t compare ourselves to Abramovich, we have not got that sort of money, so if we want to compete with the big boys, we have to bring more money in.”
So now he want’s us to compete with the “big boys” after all ?….a load of gash if you ask me…
Munich Mag(Quote)
TOONPIPES
November 10, 2011 at 22:02
Batty, it is managers like Keegan who paid for players like shearer and asprilla<<<<< ide say that was money well spent not spunked and iam sure people would agree 😕
batty(Quote)
Ashley lovers spout facts when it suits and acuse you of taking the moral highroad, then take the moral highroad themselves when the facts fail then .
Its all fact …..
I would have just put my hands up and said yeh all the evidence and history points to Ashley having been , being and going to be bad news 😐
keith(Quote)
TP @ 103 what ‘ aged old players ‘ would that be ❓ ❓ ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave: No worries at all, i completely understand that you needed to air your opinion. I agree with you we should forget about it, it is just a way for Mike Ashely to get free advertising for his company. I think this is a step too far, I might understand if we moved to a new stadium and we agreed a deal with a sponsor in order to fund etc.
It will all blow over in a few weeks and there are more important things we should be focusing on. I am gutted though
Zoë Vicarage(Quote)
Batty, it is managers like Keegan who paid for players like shearer and asprilla….
Howay man….we got REAL value for money from those 2 legends…
Munich Mag(Quote)
Batty, yes it was wicked loved it LOVED IT .. but it didnt help that KK didnt bring youngsters through and that we havent been bringing enought youngsters through … Hitman, MA deffo made mistakes – but at least now he is putting them right .. the signings that are being now are literally all coming off .. ive had to explain to you over and over again for the last 4 years what the really obvious issues are so don’t know how you can call me an idiot
TOONPIPES(Quote)
toonpipes can you name 1 bad signing what keegan did 😕
batty(Quote)
Munich Mag, they were and are proper legends, but we shud have had shearer for nowt and brought him through .. something went wrong somewhere didnt it …..
TOONPIPES(Quote)
munich thats what iam saying 😉 its tp saying he spunked the cash on them
batty(Quote)
Batty, you are missing my point .. Keegan made great signings in the sense that they were wicked players, but they tended to cost us maximum price instead of us developing our own players .. and in the end, with all the other managers we have had doing the same thing, it wasnt/isnt sustainable so we’ve ended up f ucked with a load of mercenaries that took us down – took us for mugs and abused us .. micahel owen is a proper scumbag took so much money – STOLE MY MONEY THAT I PAID THE CLUB and cudnt give a f uyck .. took the p iss .. i bet no f ucker will do that to us now and im happy about it
TOONPIPES(Quote)
are my god pipes you are talking utter ***** like you have been for 4 years now.if you think selling our history for peanuts is a god move from ashley you need your head checked ASAP.
hitman(Quote)
toonpipes that was not what you were saying ,didnt keegan bring watson clark howey through the youth system before it was scrapped
batty(Quote)
Zoe part of the problem is that he knows it will blow over thats why he keeps ripping the club apart because he knows most fans will let it blow over.
Then he will ripped it apart again because he knows he can ❗
Big Dave(Quote)
roblee 700k 😕
batty(Quote)
batty we should both now by now there is no talking to pipes,when he gets found out he just jumps to one extreme after the other.
hitman(Quote)
Batty, we have for years spent LOADS of cash on players who cost a fortune but for who we did not make a profit on. The includes KK. Because we spunked cash and got no return we have ended up broke.
TOONPIPES(Quote)
keegan and shearer were and always will be toon ledgends
batty(Quote)
Dave exactly, i think someone will see the opportunity to invest and then perhaps they will add St James’ into it somehow
Zoë Vicarage(Quote)
15 mill for shearer,worth every penny
hitman(Quote)
toonpipes 15 mill for sir alan works oot more than 15 goals a season ,he kept us up singal handedly for years
batty(Quote)
sorry over 20 goals actuely
batty(Quote)