Further developments have come to light this week with regards to the latest possible takeover talk of NUFC. It’s early days but after years of frustration under Ashley’s reign, it’s hard not to get too excited. It could potentially release the chains attached from the Ashley era, enabling us to believe we’d finally have some ambitious owners to take us to the next level.
Rumours are that Amanda Staveley would be the figure head of a takeover and backed by £28 billion firm, PCP Capital partners from the Middle East. Articles ran in the Chronicle this week explaining how the Middle East is very competitive regarding football, with the only nation there without a top football club in Europe being Saudi Arabia. It could be that investors there are looking for a new club, apparently we are one of three English clubs being considered, to rival the likes of Manchester City.
If this was to come off, and it’s a big if, what would be the potential impact for NUFC?
NUFC competing for top players again
Investment and finance rules modern football and this is what we are lacking under Ashley. It is almost impossible, Leicester aside, to break into the top 4 without serious financial muscle.
A new owner like PCP would certainly give us that opportunity. It would have to be like Man City, where we build gradually but it would just be so refreshing to see us showing ambition in the transfer market again and have a free spending window similar to that of Everton’s this summer. Arguably, we have not had that since Freddy Shepherd was in charge, with his club record signing of Michael Owen yet to be beaten by Ashley.
Keeping Benitez
The major positive of recent years being a Newcastle fan has been the arrival and work of current manager, Rafa Benitez. Rafa is ambitious and has big plans for Newcastle. He will not be happy battling relegation next season even – he’ll want year on year progression and I imagine that includes getting Newcastle United back into the Champions League. It may sound a million miles away at the moment, but with ambitious new owners, big investment, a top class manager and a city that lives and breathes football, the sky could be the limit.
As a fan, it’s great having a manager of this calibre and expectation, but there will come a time when Ashley has to catch up before Rafa finds a new club who will match his ambition. A new takeover could solve this and keep Rafa at SJP.
Uniting the fans further – turning hope into a reality?
Another major positive has been the unity of the fans under Bentiez. We have a common goal, the atmosphere is far better at games, we sell out games and initiatives like Gallowgate flags have been a fantastic addition to match days. The only thing that could unite the fans further would be confirmation Rafa is staying, all the speculation of him leaving naturally causes unrest and gives the press an angle to publish click bait content about NUFC, usually negative. A takeover would be a game changer as keeping Rafa would allow us to move forward together, with hope for the future.
The latest takeover talk is exciting and one NUFC fans will be keen to learn more about over the coming weeks. As always though, the caveat is that this is Mike Ashley and a spanner in the works is usually not far away. The club has been on the market for a while with no buyers, so his asking price is clearly too high. The new TV deal may have just made us an attractive proposition despite the asking price; and Staveley must have been impressed with the atmosphere and unity on display at the weekend.
Here is hoping for some positive news soon, so we can all get excited about the future again.
Hroucho:
I don’t really have a gripe against Quinn, it is much more about The Chronic calling him a Legend. And also the fact that they had a clip from him on TalkSport that they said was hilarious when it was brain-numbingly not hilarious
I clicked on it on The Chronic website and I want that 90 seconds of my life back .
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Here is the article from The Chronic where they say the Legend Micky Quinn is hilarious. Judge for yourself:
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/mick-quinn-newcastle-takeover-advert-13720933
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, you have anger issues
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart: I am not angry in the least about Micky Quinn, just pointing out a few facts.
I find it really off that every Scouse seems to think they are funny. There is an unwarranted reputation that they are funny when, in FACT, it is refuted by the existence of Tarby and Stan Boardman.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It is the international break!!!
The South American qualifiers come to an end tomorrow. Now that will be interesting.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And Stuart: if I was angry I would type in all caps, all the time, and use many more exclamation marks than I do!!!!!!!!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Well seeing reports today it looks like the takeover is going L/Pool way,talk billions will be pumped into them,we miss out again but nowt we can do to get rid of jabba storey is he has but a inflated price on the toon as well
Icedog(Quote)
Stewie: have you ever laughed in your life? You are drier than a great grandmother’s c***.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I would hate to work for you Stewie Thatcher. There is no happiness there, just like your matriarch Maggie.
She was PM when I was growing up and she never smiled. Not once. It was all dire and misery.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I’ll be laughing and smiling next week when I’m in Dubai. I’ll look out for Amanda when I’m there…
Stuart79(Quote)
Ice, there’s nothing to suggest that’s the case. To be fair, there’s nothing to suggest she’s interested in us or Liverpool. It’s all paper talk at the moment. I am always suspicious of anybody wanting to buy a football club who does it in public. How many are actually successful?
Stuart79(Quote)
Ok Stewie. That was supposed to be funny? Funny like a heart attack.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
You either have the driest sense of humour of no humour at all. Guess what my guess is?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I was laughing (still am now and again) when you were flapping around like a dying bird trying to find my quote that I didn’t say about Mike Ashley and his asking price. I still laugh at your alpha male like refusal to accept you were wrong… ???
Stuart79(Quote)
Ooh that hurt Stewie Thatcher. I may never recover.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So make a joke then Stewie. Say something remotely funny.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
No Geermins. No Boardman or Tarby. Just amusing. Slightly? No, alright then, thought so.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
You still stuck on that Stewie T. 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Yes. It cheers me up no end to know you were wrong, you were fuming that you were wrong and everybody on the blog knew you were wrong yet you still couldn’t admit it. ?
And something else that makes me laugh (you’re good at that) is you seem to think calling me Stewie Thatcher in some way annoys me. It’s a compliment – thanks. ??
Stuart79(Quote)
Im not much of a game station person, probably because spinny games with rapid lighting changes make me feel sick such as call of duty and a long while ago, doom.
However, my boy would like a PS4. I know they are much cheaper now, but when I look at the games on youtube reviews, they just look a bit substandard. The graphics have not really improved enough since PS2 to justify spending 40 flipping quid on a game. Thats not counting stupid online purchases to enhance the game etc. It just seems like a big con.
Somebody tell me I am wrong and there are games that would blow my mind? I cant buy a whole console if it is just for my boy to take over the telly and the rest of us get nowt out of it – and if the graphics are still pretty average then I dont think it is worth it in any case. He has a ps3 that you can games on for 5 to 20 quid…
shamrock(Quote)
Better off getting an additional TV and a console for the Baird. Everyone’s a winner!
Stuart79(Quote)
* bairn
Stuart79(Quote)
Yeah think we will carry on with his. Ps3 and cheap games until something actually worthwhile comes along.
Got the kids a pup not long ago anyway, so he wont have that much time for computers!
shamrock(Quote)
Up Eire!
shamrock(Quote)
Say something funny Stewie T.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It is a compliment to be compared to Maggie Thatcher 🙂 Milk snatcher (she cancelled school milk). She singlehandedly ruined the North East economy for 20 years. She did not have to decimate the whole ship building and engineering industries in one go. She could have subsidized them and let them renew like they did with farms who got much more money. There was a political decision to subsidize ship building in Northern Ireland and Glasgow so don’t tell me Thatcher was all laissez faire, she was not.
I moved away from Newcastle because there were not any jobs there. If you kill off the whole structure of an economy in one go like Thatcher did it takes decades to repair. She had a choice.
So, yes Stewie T. If I call you Thatcher that is about the biggest insult I could call you.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And I am not a Marxist either. That is about the biggest pile of shyte I have ever seem bu it doesn’t make Thatcherism better. I could go on, but I wont.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Now say something funny Stewie T. Just once! Just once.
I have read this blog for quite a few years now and I may as well have read the phone book for the number of times Stewie T has said anything amusing.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Now now boys lets try and say friends personal attacks should not come into the blog,we have and big waste of space we should aim our thoughts at
Icedog(Quote)
Calm down, Eric.
I don’t need to say anything funny. I’m having a ball watching your breakdown on the blog. 😳
Stuart79(Quote)
Well Ireland knock Wales out. Get in! Bring on the play offs.
I agree with Ice btw. The squabbling gets embarrassing. Albeit most of it seems instigated by Eric. A very funny and intelligent guy, but also a bit of a *** at times!
shamrock(Quote)
Don’t flatter me so much Shamrock.
Who do Ireland play now? I could look it up or you could just tell me 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Couldn’t agree more, Sham. I’ve refrained from insulting Eric but it doesn’t seem to make much difference. Still, it brightens my day.
Stuart79(Quote)
The Aussies are actually pretty funny. My gripe with them is that they don’t talk about football on a football blog. My gripe with you is that you is that you are so dry.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Dont know yet mate. Draw for K.O’s is next week. They were celebrating like they had qualified! 2 games to go yet lads…
Wales screwed it at the end though. Had a free kick on right hand side. Put all their players in the box and whoever took to kick smashed it across the pitch, not even across the Irish box, and gave us a throw in. Ha! Wtf was that all about!
shamrock(Quote)
Great for Eire hope they win their play off
Icedog(Quote)
You haven’t been on the phone to my mother have you? She describes me exactly the same way. Smart and funny, but a bit of a ***.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
How in the hell did Italy and Spain get stuck in the same group?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Ok you got me. She told me to tell you that when you step out of line….
shamrock(Quote)
Shamrock. It gets so quiet during the international week I just try to get things moving, even if it is just instigating. The international weeks are where blogs go to die. Stuart can take it. He doesn’t care. Nor do the Aussies. I know who I can pick a fight with and who will not get upset.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So Hoots wants Mitro in Jan,so say the rags starting early aren’t they!
Icedog(Quote)
Italy just scraped through a game against Andorra. Its not just England being ****. Difference is, sides like Italy almost always turn it on when the tournament proper comes along..
Anyone seen the new Star Trek series yet? Wow it has gone a totally new direction. Like it.
shamrock(Quote)
I am still trying to figure out how Italy and Spain ended up in the same group. Ireland don’t have a chance of playing Italy do they?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
He may as well go. Not getting a look in.
I worry investment in the squad will be non existent in January.
shamrock(Quote)
Stuart doesn’t get upset. He is like Zen.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
They might both go through because 1 second placed side will qualify automatically as the ‘best of the rest’.
shamrock(Quote)
Zen Thatcher.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I will look it up. Argentina are currently 6th and need to get to 5th to qualify in a playoff. It is a pity they didn’t have Lithuania, Slovenia, and Malta in their group.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Maybe if England had a group with a half decent team in it we might have more interest in qualifying. The reason people lose interest is because it’s so pointlessly easy to qualify.
Stuart79(Quote)
http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41472696
Scroll down and there is a table showing who is set for playoffs. I was wrong. Nobody that finished 2nd qualifies automatically. 1 team that finished 2nd does not progress to the playoffs. Ireland are safe but could face Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark or other good sides next. Long way to go yet. Holland is out.
shamrock(Quote)
Slovenia
Slovakia
Malta
Scotland
Lithuania
Come on. It may as well have been Gateshead, Whitley Bay and Shotley Bridge.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sham: Stuart is a bit dry for me but he is also sort of cool in a Tory way.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I think they call that damned with faint praise.
Stuart79(Quote)
What on earth has happened to Holland? I still think they’ve got some decent players. But that’s two tournaments they’ve failed to qualify for on the bounce. This after getting to the semis of the last WC…
Stuart79(Quote)
You might be right 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Shamrock. I do like what these Guys do on here now. They write pretty interesting articles. I like when they talk to fans from other clubs. They are not repetitive like The Chronic and only put on a 5 things we learnt about once a week.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stewie T: you don’t bore me. I think you at a bit strained sometimes and Kimtoon and Icedog entertain me.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And Shamrock: I know exactly what I am like 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Reckon Mitro would thrive under Hoots, would be sad to see him go though if rumours are true.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Sham, I’ve not caught any of the discovery episodes yet, it’s set before Captain Kirk’s time isn’t it ?
KIMTOON(Quote)
Yes mate, the beginning of the Federation/Klingon war. Has a darker vibe with a clear theme. So far, so good.
shamrock(Quote)
Rumours, rumours Kim. Brighton could have been watching someone else altogether but the Chronicle only have eyes for us.
georgio(Quote)
They are saying word from the toon is they won’t sell him to Hoots as he’s a rival in staying up,and won’t sell him in Jan unless they have a replacement lined up
Icedog(Quote)
I told you that the International Break was where blogs go to die – Star Trek, really!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Why don’t we all watch some super hero movies as well. Shall I summarise the plot?
Man gets bitten by radio active bug.
Somehow acquires a super power.
Has to fight with a super villain who doesn’t have super powers.
Super hero loses super powers and almost dies.
Super hero miraculously gets super powers back and defeats super villain.
THIS IS WHY I DO NOT WATCH MARVEL OR DC COMICS MOVIES.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
https://www.footballinsider247.com/reliable-journalist-details-major-development-reported-newcastle-decision-flog-forward/
icedog(Quote)
I know it is “good versus evil” but that is what every Star Trek plot is as well. Just about as simplistic as you can get.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Ice: I give in. Now Mark Douglas is a “reliable journalist” it was always that Times writer Caulkin before.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I vowed never to watch a super hero movie again after watching Wolverine 4 or whatever it was (the one set in Japan). I watched it until the end just to see how amazingly bad it could get. Then, against my better judgement, I watched Batman Vs Superman a year later. Only Adam Sandler has made worse movies than that.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I don’t really watch movies unless they based on a true storey even then they stretch the true,best one I’ve watched lately hacksaw ridge,they speak to the real guy at the end which makes it interesting to me
Icedog(Quote)
Serbia qualified so Mitro will be at the World Cup.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Maybe Clark, Yedlin and Elliott too. Outside chance of Shelvey. England don’t do characters any more. There’s players in that England squad that are hard to believe. Livermore, Henderson, Lingard, Maguire, Winks. It’s almost like if you’re English you’ll do.
georgio(Quote)
A bit of release every now and then is good for the soul mate.
Alternatively you can sit around getting all red in the face about politics and Scouse humour…
I know what I prefer!
*I dont watch super hero films either. But don’t pick on Star Trek. Shamrock beaming out.
shamrock(Quote)
georgio: being English is one of the qualifications for getting into the England team? Unless you are Allan Lamb, Zola Budd, Chris Froome, Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Strauss or Ben Stokes.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Believe me when I say I am not red in the face about anything. I don’t get mad at Scouse humour I get mad at Scousers thinking they are ALL funny. Especially Stan Boardman who is about as funny as a heart attack. And people referring to Mick Quinn as a legend when he obviously isn’t.
Eric Sykes(Quote)