You really couldn’t get any more stereotypical if you tried. Perhaps they should have had capes and a swag bag, or be dressed like the Hamburgler for added effect. It fits, as they’ve effectively robbed the ground of everything it stood for.
Understandably many people are angry with this move. Seemingly not intent with “officially” changing the name, we now have signs to reflect the new name hanging on the outside of the Gallowgate and a great big empty space on the wall where St James’ Park was once emblazoned proud and true.
You have to ask why? To me it’s pretty simple. Once dubbed as a showcase to potential new sponsors I think it’s fair to say that these latest moves have gone well beyond that. There is a reason why naming rights have been toyed with for three years, and there is a reason why nobody has decided to touch them. Because it just isn’t worth the poor reception it will get!
Suffice to say I would imagine that the St James’ Park will be replaced by yet more Sports Direct signage and will probably be dressed up as some form of “showcase” in the event that interested companies can’t envisage their logo in the place of St James’ Park.
Unlike the majority, I’m not actually dead set against the renaming of St James’ Park. To me it will always be St James’ Park and I suspect that will be the case with many fans also. The occasional opposing fan may have a laugh about but so what?
I do think however it could have been done more, well, professionally. For a start there are the reasons behind it. Showcase my backside! I think it’s fairly apparent that it will stay emblazoned with the charver crest of his tat shop (which coincidentally I’ve still never set foot inside of) so why not man up and say it’s going to stay like that?
Also, and this is my main complaint, is the justification for selling naming rights was to bring in funds to the club. We don’t know if it is although I have a suspicion it isn’t. I might be wrong though. Maybe it’s some elaborate way of circumventing our debt and paying it off? Again I have a suspicion it isn’t, but it’s the not knowing that will add fuel to the fire.
So what is the answer? Roll with it? Ignore it? Get angry about it? Well Mike Ashley has shown that he won’t listen to the concerns of fans so it’s pointless protesting or doing anything like that, plus I’m not sure I’d like the team to feel any negative effect that such protests would create. They need our support, and they deserve it after this season.
That leaves rolling with it, which just won’t happen for a lot of people, or ignoring it, which just won’t happen for a lot of people.
How about a whip round instead?
take what he fucking wants he cant take the sole the passion or the history…. but hes having a good crack at it i tell ya
ice pup(Quote)
I see the Reality Train is back on track………………welcome back Troy, flush out the Tiggers and Bouncy Floaty Butterfies. Woohoooo 😛
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
Reet back MW3 to get mullered by more angry bairns 😈
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
LOL 😆
ice pup(Quote)
Fatty will do whatever he wants to do ❗
The land will always be SJP though 😉
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
U know what I say good riddance. If we can raise more money to make us more competitive. As pardew says people just dont like change but if were getting extra money maybe be able to keep some star players, im game. People more on its happening like it or not!!
Ben(Quote)
Some little horror just finished a game on MW3 with a KD of 67/2 😯
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
PACK IT UP TONY your donald ducked son
ice pup(Quote)
ben good riddance really ❗ ❗ ❗
ok each to there own but thats some statement to come out with
ice pup(Quote)
Ben must be a Mackem 👿
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
It seems pretty obvious now it was never to be a showcase for a potential suitor, just more lies at the time to fob us off.
I’m not too fussed tbh but I’d rather he just came out and told us the truth…
Ne wonder ppl can never truely trust this guy…
mark(Quote)
TonyGreenSupreme
try and tell him what a girl is 😆 and what the sky looks like 😆
andymag(Quote)
BEN>
Sorry but **** off “Good Riddance”
What a stupid comment. Are you 5 years old or just ignorant? 😈
GeordieDan(Quote)
@TonyGreenSupreme
what console do you play on?
I once had a 43-12 score, but after 20-6 I hid under an arch not believing what was happening, my planes did the rest 😯
mark(Quote)
Bet somebody is already on their way to B & Q for a couple of pots of black paint and brushes to paint it back on again.
ash100(Quote)
How long before its spray painted back on? Give it a week
Moreno(Quote)
hey a ground move to a brand new stadium best of stuff and 80 thousand capacity people would say well were moving forward i see where hes going with this he has the right to change the name to what he sees fit….. but this !!!!!! fucking hell man good riddance u said !! wow ❗
ice pup(Quote)
Toonsy some good words there Lads 😉 the way they went about it again shows that they have no feeling at all for the club and SJP or what it means to the people.
But im sure we will still have lots of people telling us that we have to move with the time, think of the money it will bring in blah blah blah.
Yeah it will always be known to us as SJP but what about our kids or their kids and everyone else it will be known as sports direct arena 👿
Big Dave(Quote)
@ moreno theres a tenner in it for ya if you want to risk it
ice pup(Quote)
HERE HERE i vote for dave
ice pup(Quote)
Just glad I’ll always be able to say I saw a victory at St. James’s Park. The next time I am fortunate enough to cross the pond and see a game who knows what the stadium will be called.
NorCal Toonfan(Quote)
Mark,
Xbox, I am **** 😆
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
I bet there is some fans would even go along with us changing our colours to sd colours 👿 because Jabba would be doing it for the benefit of our beloved club 😯
Big Dave(Quote)
But im sure we will still have lots of people telling us that we have to move with the time, think of the money it will bring in blah blah blah.
—————————–
Well count me as the part of the blah blah blah crowd I guess. 😉
But as I’ve said before on this issue, I am not a Geordie, and can certainly understand if people who grew up locally have far stronger feelings about the subject than I do. That’s the only reason why I am against the name change.
MDS(Quote)
PUP hows it going mate ? all settled in ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
Icepup, done dafter for less!
It really is nonsense though, how does that sign they have taken down affect anything to do with sports direct and the stadium name? The guys just an ****
Moreno(Quote)
Dave,
Some would probably say “Good riddance to the Black ‘n’ White colours”
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
moreno dont incriminate yourself mate deny everything
super dave thanks for asking just been busy tasting all the island has to offer 😉 😉
ice pup(Quote)
It’s just a name change, so have a think about this first..
Three things can come out of this name change.
1. Ashley keeps it as it is , which means he’s proving he’s here for the long haul, which therefore means that this club is fully stable well into the future.
2.He pisses off, which then means someone else comes in and fans have to take a guess at whether the new owners will revert back to St James’ or use their own tag and also hope they’re not a Venky’s.
3. An actual ground sponsor does come in while Ashley is in charge meaning revenue for the club anyway..
Now to me , options 1 and 3 are tasty and option 2 is strong coffee with no milk or sugar.
wolfie(Quote)
TGS you could be right lad maybe a change of colours will bring us a bit of luck 😉 we could try that for a couple of yrs, if our luck doesn’t change we could try our name ?? sports direct divided has a ring to it 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
PUP @ 28 does it taste different 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
well i need to attempt to sample a few more before i could say for certain… lifes tough dave lifes tough 😉 😉
ice pup(Quote)
Can’t really see the point of taking the SJP signs down – they could have been preceded by Sports Direct Arena at …
lesh(Quote)
@TonyGreenSupreme
ah shucks, Ive just unearthed a tree from the front garden to hide behind so I could own u.. I play ps3.. never mind 😉
mark(Quote)
The biggest disgrace of it all is that Jabba is not paying for the privilege.
I’m sure many of you will simply say, it’s his club he can do what he likes.
There’s a couple of points I want to raise.
First, if Sports Direct make a £10m profit from the free advertising, that money won’t be ploughed back into NUFC.
Jabba has made it clear that NUFC will be self sufficient. So for those who under the illusion that if SD make profits they will be reinvested in the club. That’s simply not true.
That is why he should be paying for the name change.
Secondly, he bought a north east institution when buying NUFC. I made this point a couple of year back in my Bobby Shinton days. He has a responsibility to the people who support this great club steeped in history.
For me, he has run roughshod over it and it’s supporters with this cheap and tacky stunt that benefits NUFC zilch! 😯
Les Kellets Grandson(Quote)
@MDS
I’m a geordie thru and thru, It bothers me but MA is just a passing second in the history of Newcastle United.. he wont be here forever..
Its the lies I’m peeved about the most..
mark(Quote)
PUP life is a ***** mate but you just have to do what you have to do.
Big Dave(Quote)
DAVE@37 you want nowt to do with bitchs mate,you end up with a litter 😉
icedog(Quote)
look what i got 😯
icedog(Quote)
Troy – In the interest of balance, nobody can say for certain whether he is paying for it or not. We can assume, but you know for sure 😉
toonsy(Quote)
I hear ya Mark. I would love to know if this is free or if we are getting SD money funneled to the club like Man City is doing. Unfortunately I think I know the answer…
Still I wonder if some people might feel differently if it ends up being renamed Virgin Atlantic Stadium at St. James’ Park for the price of 30M a season
MDS(Quote)
Ice spot on mate 😆 I was going to tell him that but I thought you would have already told him about that 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
@MDS
we’d all love to know whether we’ll profit from it or not. Llambias did say it would generate cash for new players. hopefully he’ll keep his word and we’ll receive a chunk of cash from MA
the fact is, he doesnt communicate with the fans so we’ll have to guess until told otherwise..
mark(Quote)
@MDS
I’d take the 30mil if that was the deal, I’d even settle for 10mill if the club were to progress using the 10mill.
mark(Quote)
“We will showcase Sports Direct until the end of the season,” .
“I’m sure we’re going to get a sponsor in for next season.”
When asked if the name “St James’ Park” would always remain, Llambias then reassured fans by responding:
“Absolutely. In our reign, absolutely.”
😆 😆 😆 😆 😆
Toonsy I would be pretty sure that we arn’t getting paid because they are just “Showcasing” it
Big Dave(Quote)
It’s the team on the pitch that concerns us as fans and the manager and coaching staff that get them up to speed.
The boardroom/owner carry on has always been a back seat job if we are all honest.
We never used to worry about finances when we were buying like there was no tomorrow and we never gave a thought that invincible Newcastle united would ever go to the dogs.
It’s strange though , too many fans now start worrying over a stricter owner considering that Shepherd and co fed is nice sweeties without telling us that they were on the never never.
As long as we have a team to support and a healthy outlook financially and looking stronger by the season, plus the added bonus of a youngster overhaul, I don;t think we have much to get upset about. 😀
wolfie(Quote)
@Toonsy
I think we can safely say we know that he isn’t or he would have shouted it from the roof tops.
Ashley would not miss an opportunity like that to tell the fans he’s paying for the privilege.
Take your point tho. 😉
Les Kellets Grandson(Quote)
😯 Mark @ 43 😆 😆 you think he will keep his word 😯
What about his famous words > When asked if the name “St James’ Park” would always remain, Llambias then reassured fans by responding:
“Absolutely. In our reign, absolutely.”
Big Dave(Quote)
@wolfie
Totally disagree with your views on this issue but then again I disagree with everything you say.
Mais, C’est la vie. 😉
Les Kellets Grandson(Quote)
thought the ground was jointly owned by the freemen of newcastle and the city council.
mickey s(Quote)
Think this is a very sensitive issue and one that people stopped talking about for a while ( for whatever reasons ) but any signs controlled by the club were always going to be taken down and will be replaced with sportsdirectarena or whatever Ashley and the board try to put as the offical name. Sad day but nothing has changed from a few months ago
Johno Toon(Quote)
@BD
no, I don’t m8 but if it’s still SD come next season I’m sure he’ll be pressure into telling us what the plan is.
mark(Quote)
@Mark
I wouldn’t have thought we will see any cash coming from his own advertising.
As I’ve suggested, surely he would plug the fact he’s paying for the advertising to prevent the criticism he’s getting now.
Les Kellets Grandson(Quote)
Mark @ 52 they will just say that no suitable companies have came along.
But then they probably wont say owt about it anyway.
Big Dave(Quote)
Troy offcourse he would they would have been shouting it from the rooftops
Lambastad would have been wheeled out to tell us how good Jabba is to pay us out of his own pocket, while trying to get us big money 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Mickey S – The land is, but the buildings on it aren’t.
toonsy(Quote)
@Johno
I think most were not talking about it just in case Jabba had forgot about it. 🙂
“DEREK, THERE’S SARMFING A WARS GARNA DO TO THOWSE PESKY GEORDIES. WHAT THE FACK WAS IT ? OH YES, THE FACKING NAME CHANGE! THAT WILL UPSET THE LITTLE FACKERS! LET’S AVE SAM SHANDY AND WATCH THE NORF EAST NEWS FOR A LARF!” :-/
Les Kellets Grandson(Quote)
how can anyone trust a liar,once a liar always a liar imo,you can catch a thief,but how do you catch a liar 👿
icedog(Quote)
So appropriate that this happened after the previous article “but for the grace of Ashley”
Perfectly sums up my Engima thing on him. Such a bellend.
Anyway, good idea? Nope. Will it bring revenue? 90% sure it won’t, just free advertising for fatty, although that in itself may make him more willing to spend the profits we do make.
Don’t think its a good idea, but what does that matter? He doesn’t give a toss what fans think and that’s pretty clear. I’d also say its kind of pointless protesting-although I can see why people are angry. Problem is protests will just harm the team and then possibly cost us Europe. If that’s the case then Ashley will have ****** up royally. Let’s just hope it doesn’t cost us, the fans, again.
Newkie(Quote)
@icedog
Thieves are normally good liars aren’t they? 😆
Les Kellets Grandson(Quote)
Ice my Dad used to tell us all the time ” you can watch a thief, but you cant watch a liar” 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
@Les Kellets Grandson
thats very true m8, he would love to tell us if we’re profiting from it. but he has time yet to tell us if we are. I get the impression he likes to make us sweat a bit. I’m sure it’ll come clearer by the start of nxt season.
mark(Quote)
A good song for the crowd to chant at the ground would be good.
“THERES ONLY SJP”
Unless we are playing Exeter City of course. 😯
Les Kellets Grandson(Quote)
I can’t believe some fans go on about this liar business hahahahaha.
Once a liar always a liar makes us all liars ALWAYS then becasue there isn’t a man or woman on here that can honestly say they haven’t told a lie.
I don’t want any of the “oh yes I have BUT it wasn’t really a lie” clap trap either.
wolfie(Quote)
@Big Dave
I doubt they’ll get away with it that easy m8…saying nowt
Its a very sensitive issue and rightly so.
There will be no end of ppl asking them about it.
mark(Quote)
LKG kna m8 as i said you can catch them,you will never catch those two bandits,one will lie for the other,as par for the coarse who do we look to then 😈
icedog(Quote)
WOLFIE hes got you well sucked in,wheres that 25mil we spent by the way,or is just a little white so its ok
icedog(Quote)
Troy – Can’t you just change your name back to Troy? It’s a bit of a mouthful your new one 😯
toonsy(Quote)
” Well count me as the part of the blah blah blah crowd I guess.
But as I’ve said before on this issue, I am not a Geordie, and can certainly understand if people who grew up locally have far stronger feelings about the subject than I do. That’s the only reason why I am against the name change.”
I find that to be very respectful, and very honest.
I used to follow American football closely years ago. I loved the Denver Broncos and Elway was my gridiron hero. Even when the Redskins raped them badly in the superbowl. I got hats, coats and jumpers imported from the US. They were my team.
But if they moved from the Mile High Stadium or changed the name, like American teams seem to do from time to time, I knew I would never feel it or understand it like the natives. I did love them but its not the same. It just isn’t. Not a criticism – just being honest.
Pootle(Quote)
@wolfie
it would of been easier to tell the truth in this case tho.. we would of probably accepted it by now (slightly)
But to string us along doesnt give us the best impression of him. His trust is already questioned by the masses so why distort the truth again. (if he is lying) 😆
mark(Quote)
Mark @ 65 they wont bow down to anyone the only ones they talk to only ask what they’re allowed to ask.
As I said I believe that there is some fans that would even accept a change in colours, and would still make excuses for them and try to tell us about the benefits of it 👿
Big Dave(Quote)
WOLFIE you telling everyone who does into a court of law are tarred with your brush,grow up man your as bad as jabba and owlheed ye-sel
icedog(Quote)
what the **** is he doing two the club what a asss hole is ther any one out ther who has loads off money plz bye that cut out he is **** the club up
stevie big dog(Quote)
Toonsy @ 68 😆 😆 I agree it’s doing my loaf in 😆 well im just sticking to Troy
Big Dave(Quote)
Here we go again… 🙄
witters(Quote)