Fans being united seems a far away conclusion.
After my previous article received negative comments it dawned on me, ‘are we battling Mike Ashley or battling each other’? It seems to me it’s the younger generation battling let’s say the “old guard fans”.
Just to give you and idea on why I think this, I wrote an article (see it below) of my memories of NUFC before mike Ashley on here recently. I looked back at the Freddy Shepard era and how I was given free tickets as a teen.
The comments in response consisted of older generation saying it shouldn’t take free tickets to support NUFC
I was born in Newcastle (Benwell) in 1988. I am now 31 years of age and I’m proud of being a born and bred Geordie. There was only ever going to be one team for me.
Anyway, the problem seems to lie on times before my existence and how times were harder for fans. Lower league football and rotten chairman’s.
I accept that times were harder back then. Maybe the older generation feel like we should be privileged to be in the Premier League and a Chairman that spends (very little).
I want to reach out to the older fans who feel that way. We are not the spoilt we are just simply fighting for what’s right, we are an underfunded club. The Premier League is a billion dollar organisation. In order to compete you have to provide fund that is within your means. And so far in the 12 years of Mike Ashley era that has not been the case.
We are the 19th richest club in the world based on player sales, attendances, TV money and low wage bill. The club has received very little of that money. He may own the club but you have to reinvest to survive 2 relegations and a possible 3rd looming.
I will not sit back and watch it happen. This is our time to fight – both old and young, regardless of which era had it worse. Together we are stronger, together we can be UNITED.
It’s now our time to fight for the change we need. We don’t expect trophies nor do we expect Champions League – we simply want to compete with teams outside of top 4.
It’s a realistic target, but with Mike Ashley it’s just a dream – which is so frustrating when the potential this club has based on fans alone is worth its weight in gold.
It just upsets me when we are divided on this issue, and insults are thrown from one generation to the next. We could use some wise heads in this battle.
The troubles of yesteryear have passed. This is a new war and I urge all ages to join the cause. We aren’t the spoilt generation we are the mike Ashley generation and that needs change
To be honest i hadnt realised the divide was a generational thing. I have been following the conversations and i have read about the division between opinion. My personal feeling is we have to be rid of Ashley by any means possible. I havent been to many matches recently because my shift patterns nearly always have me working or commuting when matches are being played. The last time i was at St.James was to protest outside the stadium. My perdonal wish is to boycott matches and ultimately to be involved in a mass boycott directly outside the stadium with full media coverage. Imagine 10/20/30/40,000 plus, well organised and disciplined supporters cheering on the Toon from directly outside the turnstiles? Highly unlikely to happen but God it would really get excellent coverage and make a strong point that we have had enough?
Clive Lancaster(Quote)
Sorry to disappoint but I will support the team regardless of the owner. Yes he is a shocker… nothing anyone can do about it though so that is that. For me… I will go to games and I will cheer the team on.
Craig Chisholm(Quote)
Well put Craig. Best to stop making us all look stupid and just hope we can continue to progress which is what it appears we are doing. Decent squad for next season.
t00nraider(Quote)
I think we are united in our hatred of Ashley – the divide is expectations.
I’m not fussed about how much or little he spends. I’m more bothered about the fact he doesn’t run our club to it’s true potential. I want him to have the best possible chairman through to the best possible chefs in the training ground. Thats not me seeing the chefs as the bottom run of the ladder by the way – my thought was who buys the players to who feeds them – and everyone in between.
Yes I want quality players in as well. But I’m not bothered about spending £100m every window or breaking transfer records. I take more pleasure seeing a youth team player break into the first time.
The other divide is the reality of our potential. Just being ambitious and thinking big isn’t enough. The reality is that if you put NUFC and Ashley aside a moment and look at other clubs who have spent big in the last 5 years – Everton, Leicester, WHU, B’mth for example. They aren’t even regularly hitting 7th spot or going on good cup runs (ok Leicester won the PL but that was freak and they haven’t spent big money either).
Top 6 is out of reach for everyone out of it, regardless of the owner or their ambition.
That is a reality, not lack of ambition. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t perform to our true potential – I want us to be the best we can be – but the reality of that may be 7-10th with good cup runs.
Maybe it is ‘old guard’ mentality, but I will always love NUFC more than hating the owner of it.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Life is too short. Tmrw you could have a heart attack or a close member of your family die or be made redundant and run into serious financial woes. If that were to happen … any vociferous anti NUFC /Ashley person would soon realise that it’s just way too trivial, pointless and pathetic. Just look forward to the games and stick with the team. Life is easier when you are positive. Smile and the whole world smiles with you, cry and you cry alone. It’s so true.
Craig Chisholm(Quote)
I sit night after night reading these posts and taking in what everyone is saying but after the few I have just read in here I cant believe how much people do not realise they are doing by supporting this fat git. Yes he has done what everyone expected him not to do but why has he done it. Could it be just the hint of boycotts and no shows have made him realise enough is enough, let’s hope it’s the beginnings of changed owner but let’s not kid ourselves. I’m sure once people start filling the ground the same players he brought in will be sold come Christmas for a nice profit…..think we have a lot of mugs as fans
Dabull(Quote)
What a load of rubbish, why should we stop going, young and old will be there supporting the toon on Sunday in the thousands, few hundred outside marching around once again, for what, nothing.
Tom(Quote)
That last one just proved my point
Dabull(Quote)
I understand that people want to continue to support the team. They are gonna need us after all. It’s the fact that Ashley can continually lie to us and we say nothing. He’s goading us all man. No intention of selling the club no matter what “in the knows” in the media might tell us. Its become a personal battle between fans and owner and the toxicity is demoralising.
Kenny(Quote)
I’ve been supporting them for 65 years & it’s upsetting to read all the hatred why don’t we give team a chance to prove that they are good enough to compete in the prem this season
John Challand(Quote)
“Nothing anyone can do about it”. Do you really believe that?
Don’t you think an empty St James’ would send a message to the FCB that, after 12 years of sucking the lifeblood out of the club, consistently lying to the fans and showing no ambition by trading Rafa for Bruce, we’ve had enough?
Yes, we need to stick together now to hurt Ashley and to rid ourselves of the parasite that is stunting the growth, ambition and potential of OUR club. Let’s be UNITED and get OUR club back!
Maxneeodz(Quote)
Mixed emotions on all this. my heart does and will always support NUFC you cant turn that on and off like a tap, we do need to get behind the team and support them as its not their fault. Mike Ashley is a compulsive liar who over the reign has gone from one extreme to another in his ownership of the club. From wearing a shirt and standing in the crowd to changing the stadium name and sacking the better manager appointments. All the supporters want is to be competing with those outside the top 4 albeit giving them a game and snatching the odd win like we did against City last season. One day he will sell and it will be on sky TV as a done deal rather than the protracted nonsense we have endured over the summer. Come on the TOON !!!!!
Steve(Quote)