Porto 0-0 Newcastle: Two players stand out as NUFC stay unbeaten for pre-season

A good test against one of the top sides in Portugal and a special occasion for both sets of fans, with over 40,000 turning up to the Estadio do Dragao to celebrate the life of the great Sir Bobby Robson.

Before I talk about the game itself, here’s a clip of the scenes inside the stadium just before kick off:

A brilliant tribute to a truly brilliant man.

Now to the game. It was one that Porto dominated from start to finish, but to come away with a 0-0 draw against such an impressive side shows just how well we defended.

We showed so little going forward, with them dominating the ball and putting pressure on our back four from start to finish, however it was the perfect run out for us with just two weeks left until our opening day encounter with Spurs.

Two players stood out – Martin Dubravka and Jamaal Lascelles – with the former being absolutely outstanding.

We saw what he was capable of during his loan stint from Sparta Prague and tonight’s display showed just what an incredible bargain he looks set to be at just £4m.

He made a number of world class saves in the second half, constantly communicated with the back four and dealt with crosses into the box expertly as well. His reflexes and handling look second to none and with a poor goalkeeper, we’d have probably lost this one two or three zip.

Lascelles was impressive too. Aboubakar and Marega were a real handful up top for Porto but the skipper handled them very well. Cleared our lines on several occasions and made a few crucial last ditch interceptions – blocking one goal bound shot from Aboubakar superbly (see below).

I wouldn’t say he put in a particularly impressive display, but there were promising signs from Diame again, who lead by example in terms of his pressing and energy in midfield. It’s good to see given how contrasting his form was between the start and end of last season!

A hard fought draw and a brilliant test for us at this stage of pre-season – especially when it sounds like we best get used to defending without Florian Lejeune (Rafa confirmed cruciate knee ligament injury tonight!).

Braga next on Wednesday.

RIP Sir Bobby

(Fancy writing for us? Send any articles/ideas over to us at [email protected] & we’ll get back to you!)

About Olly Hawkins

As a Junior Magpie since birth and season ticket holder, I eat, sleep and breathe all things NUFC! Here at the blog, I aim to bring you news, views, match reports and transfer exclusives as and when I get them.

199 thoughts on “Porto 0-0 Newcastle: Two players stand out as NUFC stay unbeaten for pre-season

  1. Stuart79:
    Mike Ashley has been in talks with House Of Fraser about lending them £50m. Staggering really.

    I am guessing that he wants to put in Sports Direct departments into these Department Stores. He has been a very successful vulture with old failing businesses but I would worry about this and Debenams. All of the mid-market stores are in trouble over here because of the move to online shopping. I haven’t been to a Mall in 10 years but then again I am not your typical customer and would only go when dragged by a wife/girlfriend.

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  2. Not sure if there will be a Venezuela for Rondon to return to. I read the other day that their annual inflation rate is now 1 million percent. I did the maths and that would mean that if I bought a loaf of bread for $1 today in a years time it would cost $10,000 in their currency.

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  3. I have no idea what the bottom half of the table will look like. Normally, you can predict that at least one of the promoted teams will go down but with Fulham and Wolves spending so much money I wonder if that will guarantee safety because conversely promoted teams hardly ever crack the top half. Them and West Ham are the wild cards because of the money being spent. However, does the inflation mean that they are now spending 20 million for an average player that would have cost 10 million 3 years ago?

    As far as we are concerned we seem to be only shopping when there is a contract clause or a player is in his final year. Is that prudent business, or are we flirting with disaster because that severely limits our options? It has worked in the past with players like Cabaye and there have also been massive flops like Marveaux.

    I think I will go with Dr. Doom Stuart on this one and say that although they are probably good players we will do well to finish 16th, especially if Rafa becomes a dead man walking as seems very likely.

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  4. It now seems pretty obvious to me what Ashley is doing. On The Chronic boards and Eds, people still have the notion that Fatty ONLY wants to pay with cash up front. This is not the case, it changed when we were relegated and is reflected in the accounts. However, I believe there is something more subtle going on and it is a counting trick.

    Rafa probably will indeed get all of the money generated from NUFC sales but it will only be the first installment. I think that is the reason for the cheap deals and the Gayle swap. Ashley is not factoring in the future revenue from sales and therefore we are shopping in the bargain basement again. All other teams factor in the future revenue streams but Fatty is more concerned with the bottom line than success.

    He is also doing like for like in terms of wages which have now been pretty much cleared of dead wood.

    Prove me wrong Fatty, because you are playing with fire. At the very least you have pissed off Rafa.

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  5. Forgot to say that we are essentially paying all cash for players because of their contract status and Rondon being a swap. So our future obligations will be negligible but our future revenues will be millions. This is a massive gamble.

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  6. For me Fulham are going to be pretty comfortable this season. I’d also say Wolves will be too. Looking at transfer business so far I’d say us, Cardiff, Bournemouth and maybe still Huddersfield will be the strugglers.

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  7. Seems feasible Eric
    I still think that wages have been the issue all along. Clearing out deadwood like Colback frees up space in the total wage bill. Fill it with incoming players. Add in your theory re purchase prices and you have a very canny plan. Works well in the short term and keeps public promises.

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  8. West Ham have spent £96million ???? Fulham have spent around that too with Mitro and Mawson… just crazy

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  9. Stuart: I am not going to make relegation predictions until after the window closes but I do think we will struggle. I am not even sure if money spent is a true indicator anymore because as DT says it has all gone mental. Plus, its really difficult to predict, but…

    Southampton – a struggling team from the previous season usually goes down. Mark Hughes.

    NUFC – was the improvement post Kenedy and Dubravka for real? We were in trouble before that run of games.

    Brighton and Huddersfield – you have to think one of these will go down.

    Cardiff – usually a promoted team goes down.

    Burnley – overachievers usually come back down to earth.

    Palace – Probably no Ruben Loftus Cheek but will still have Benteke. Maybe no Zaha as well who probably got them 10 points by himself.

    I was thinking that we are in deep trouble but then I looked at what other teams have done, and we still have a chance.

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  10. DT: I see your West Ham and raise you Everton. 300 million in 2 years. Yes, that figure is correct and they still have an aging core. You know Richarlison is going to either be a spectacular boom or bust. Supposedly they have talented youngsters but how often has that worked out recently?

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  11. And I watched Spurs dismantle Roma in the 1st half last week. Their squad looks scary good even without their WC players. Lucas Moura was the best player on the pitch and he will only be a sub. Still, we usually play OK against them, no treading on any Deli Allys Jonjo!

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  12. Seems like every summer we are waiting for Jabba to release decent funds to the manager and jabba is off buying shares or taking over some company or other. HOF this summer but pretty sure it was something else last summer or the summer before , Debenhams was it?
    Says his money is tied up in his companies yet can sub HOF £50M !!

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  13. So another release clause player from WBA linked (if true). Are we scouting players or release clauses? It seems if a player is running down his contract then we are interested. Are they on Rafa’s list? We also have the ability to do one more PL loan and given how thin our squad is we would be mad not to do it. I would start with City but also we should see who Liverpool and Spurs have.

    Rafa has basically said our academy is **** so we have to take advantage of teams that have actually spent money on theirs.

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  14. I would say Man U as well as they have about 50 centre backs. However, they are all probably on stupid wages or are Chris Smalling.

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  15. Smalling and Jones are strange players. They will look good and then each will cost Man U or England a game.

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  16. Eric – It’s not often a team spends significant money and doesn’t improve. Everton was down more to their management and the director of football buying clowns. Southampton have spent £60m or there abouts. Both Brighton and Huddersfield have bought too so it’s fair to say they will improve. Palace have good players and really they were only down there because they lost the first 7 games. They still finished well clear of relegation.

    This stage we’re hoping that Rondon will be better than Mitro and Muto better than Gayle of them transfers happen.

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  17. Stuart: I am not trying to stick up for our transfer dealings as I think we could have done the same business and splashed out for a marque signing at CF or No. 10 in the region of 30 million. I think this would have made the fans happy and more importantly kept Rafa just about on board. Unless this happens I have no idea what Ashley is playing at.

    As for other teams, we just don’t know what they are getting for their money nowadays. Brighton needed to improve and Huddersfield certainly did. Southampton will be on the brink again and Hughes will probably be bookies’ favourite for the sack by November.

    If Palace rely on Benteke they are in trouble. But they are like us, how Zaha goes so do they, same as us an Shelvey.

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  18. I have no idea what is going on with todays rumours. 8 million for an international fullback sounds like a bargain although I have to admit I have not taken much notice of him.

    Atsu, if true, I am not sure about. He had a few good games but I think he was carrying an injury in the second half of the year. He seems like he is OK coming on for the last 20 minutes with fresh legs.

    There definitely seems to be a policy on one in, one out which is dumb with how light our squad is. Upgrade for sure, but still have some depth unless the player demands a move like Hayden.

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  19. At least this stuff is not happening at 5 minutes to 11 on deadline day. Oh,wait a minute, it will probably end up dragging on until then and Charnley’s Whatsapp and fax machine will go on the blink.

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  20. Club are thought be considering keeping Beardsley. Independent appeal found him guilty of racism and why hasn’t he been sacked?

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  21. Stuart79:
    Club are thought be considering keeping Beardsley. Independent appeal found him guilty of racism and why hasn’t he been sacked?

    Not sure I believe he’s a racist stu, could be more about young players playing the race card cause they had their nose put out because they weren’t good enough. I can believe old school bullying went on like peter probably had himself when a trainee but not at all sure he’s racist. He’s played alongside plenty of black players in his time and why have none of them ever said anything. John Barnes is on record as saying Peter was key to his success .
    It’s their word against his and all too easy to wreck his career with that slur. Don’t get me wrong , if he really is he should go I agree but somehow I just don’t see it.

    taken from a Guardian article about the case
    “Peter was different from everyone else and there were some snide comments about him,” his old Liverpool team-mate John Barnes has said. “But he’s the player I most enjoyed playing with. He was crucial to my success.”

    Full article here
    https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jan/10/peter-beardsley-newcastle-united-gardening-leave-investigation

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  22. I wish the papers would stop spreading this **** that we have no “budget” because we will accept player payment in instalments. This is common practice and all clubs do it I have seen quotes where there are equal instalments over the life of a contract and sometimes when more is paid upfront and then the remainder staggered over a couple of years. Of course it is better for the selling club to receive more up front but that is not what always happens and we even paid in instalments when we were relegated – the club accounts show this.

    The confusion arises because for a long time Ashley paid all cash thinking he could get a bargain. He has changed that practice.

    I wish the papers would get it through their thick skulls that it is a choice that NUFC are making not to release all of the money from an instalment sale. It is a pretty simple concept. If Fulham pay 22 million for mitro but in 4 equal instalments of 4.5 million we could budget to buy a player for 22 million and also pay THEM over 4 years. It comes in in instalments and goes out in instalments. The Chronic are at it again saying instalments are the problem when the real problem is not CHOOSING to release the money. Again, it is a pretty simple concept, we all do it when we get a loan to buy a house or a car – we are relying on future income to make a lump sum payment now.

    It drives me nuts that the papers peddle this misinformation. They just don’t even have a basic understanding of finance. But it makes for a better story!

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  23. Just read one that was blaming Ashley for accepting the payment in instalments purely so that he could restrict Rafa’s budgets. I think it’s called **** stirring.

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  24. Olly – just read an article of yours that had about 12 comments after it. None were names I recognised. Why don’t they come on the main discussions? Do they even know there is one? Would be a big boost if they did!

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  25. Prem: I read the Chronic comments and some on Eds and they just seem to accept the papers’ and blog writers logic that there is no money because it is paid in instalments. I sometimes wish I could sit them down and shake them but then I would rather educate them, I just that sort of guy 🙂 If I said I was going to give you 100 pounds and I would give you twenty pounds a week for 5 weeks how much would I give you in total? Any normal person would say 100 quid. The Chronic make out like it is 20.

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  26. I know it is boring to go on about this but it is why Rafa is having to do all of the wheeling and dealing and why we see Fulha and Wolves making record bids and us settling for scraps. It is an Ashley smokescreen that Ryder and the crew are complicit in. Rafa has expressed displeasure but has remained extremely calm under the circumstances. But then he will walk and the papers will wonder why when they should have been pointing out this farce all along. They are going along with Ashley’s reasoning either out of stupidity or they don’t want to upset him and be banned again.

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  27. I am sort of enjoying the circus at Man U. That makes even less sense than what is going on at NUFC.

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  28. And they are doing it again. Put up a story from some BS blog like teamtalk or HITC without any fact checking and then walk it back the very next day. Ryder has said there is no truth in Atsu to Huddersfield or us being interested in that WBA defender. Clicks, clicks, clicks. For the initial BS and then the retraction.

    It used to be bad but the 24 hour news cycle and the mining for clicks has made it much worse. I hark back to the days when The Chronic could make its money from the cover price, car dealers and obituaries.

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  29. It goes like this:

    Exclusive on Teamtalk that NUFC interested in Belgian winger Lambombe (no source quoted except BS Blog).

    Next aryicle:

    Who is Lambombe

    Final article:

    NUFC not interested in Lambombe

    Click, click, click.

    In extreme cases they drag it out to about 20 mentions like with Loftus Cheek.

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  30. Eric – and yet we read it all ourselves. I guess looking for any crumb of interest when ****** all is really happening at SJP. Most of it is just childish bollocks with no hint of reality anyway.
    Anyone noticed how old and unhappy Mourinho looks these days?

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  31. That’s better. Finished with that rant 🙂 Now for something even more inexplicable. Rafa has supposedly told the board he needs 4 more players and supposedly they are dragging their feet again. This makes no sense. We can all see where we are short of bodies and quality. How can’t they?

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  32. georgio:
    Eric – and yet we read it all ourselves. I guess looking for any crumb of interest when ****** all is really happening at SJP. Most of it is just childish bollocks with no hint of reality anyway.
    Anyone noticed how old and unhappy Mourinho looks these days?

    georgio: I watched the Bobby Robson documentary the other night. One of the main things that struck me was how happy Jose was back then. It wasn’t just because he was talking about his mentor it was his whole demeanor.

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  33. I doubt if Rafa will be allowed to sign Lucas Perez and Rondon. Perez turns 30 in a month and the hierarchy will not let Rafa load up on older players no matter that it probably would see us one step closer to safety.

    Ryder has written an article today suggesting that he knows exactly what is going on at NUFC but has not been able to say. I always thought there was a cover up and the reporters were not allowed by higher ups to pass on some of the information they get. They are still not, and really have not explained the financial situation but at least they are not blindly parroting the company line.

    Of course it is totally self-serving as when it all goes tits up they will say they told us so after months of fawning to Ashley’s PR machine.

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  34. Why can’t he say Eric, is there the threat of a ban if he does or is it something that legally he isn’t able to pass on ?
    If it’s the former then he should just say it how it is and let the wider media know that he was threatened with a ban .
    He’s a journalist ffs, it’s his job to tell us what’s actually going on .

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  35. Kimtoon: I believe there is an internal policy at The Chronic that they have to go along with most of the PR guff at NUFC to keep them sweet because they have been banned before and see this as the lessor of two evils – they cannot afford to be banned again, otherwise what would The Chronic have as “news” – obituaries and vicious attacks outside clubs in Newcastle city centre!

    If they know this I sort of feel sorry for them as they cannot speak their minds until it is so obvious it is too late (I also question the standard of their journalism but that is a different issue). I can question the NUFC press release on the accounts as an obvious manipulation but Waugh couldn’t until the actual accounts came out. The problem after though is that even then Waugh continued to tout the company line which makes him at best financially naïve and more likely a useful idiot for the NUFC PR hacks. This is but one example and The Chronic is full of them (of ****) every day.

    Why keep reading? What’s the alternative? HITC or teamtalk. There is useful information as well if you read between the lines. I get annoyed when they say things like they are not clickbaiting when it is obvious that they have to in the digital media world. I feel this insults their readers’ intelligence.

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  36. Even though I think the Chronic are to an extent useful idiots they are also stuck in a catch 22. If they parrot the company line they get some access, if they question the PR manipulations they get very limited access and perhaps banned. Weren’t they even banned from press conferences at one point?

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  37. I read in the Neymar deal that for a buyout clause the selling club can demand the money up front so that is probably what is holding up the Rondon deal and why Gayle is being thrown in as a makeweight. Other links I just don’t believe because they are from questionable sources.

    It will be just stupid if we don’t at least get a back up left back so Dummett can cover centre back, someone to compete with Perez (the other Perez from Arsenal?) and an attacking midfielder who can step in for Shelvey.

    Will we get them? If we don’t I think Rafa walks and he will probably have some decent offers around Christmas wherever we happen to be in the League.

    It is really annoying to be again reduced to hoping that there will be 3 teams worse than us and that Rafa can make the whole more than the sum of the parts.

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  38. Eric, frankly, they may as well be banned as they are told nowt anyway. They know as much as us and spend everyday putting out groundless rumours and then retracting them later 🙄 you and I could do that, it doesn’t make us journalist and guess what, it doesn’t make them one either.
    #clickbaitwhores

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  39. Kimtoon: What amazes me is that some fans still buy the Ashley/Bishop, propaganda/PR. You would think by now they would have been burned enough to not believe it.

    What I am talking about is the no money to spend because it comes in instalments. That we pay in cash. NO WE DON’T. It is the headline transfer number that is important, both selling and buying, because in the near future that money will come in and go out. The timing is almost trivial because it will happen. Big teams hardly ever go bust and it is not like we are dealing with Sunderland.

    And the TV money is guaranteed and when you have guaranteed income you can always borrow against it.

    The other 19 teams work this way, matching incoming and outgoing funds, but I see so many gullible fans believing what Bishop says, and the Chronic pass on until their credibility is so shot that they have to write the truth. By then it is 1 article against hundreds. I hate Trump but he is a master of PR and he knows that if lies are repeated enough they become accepted. So do Bishop and his lackeys in the news industry.

    It should be interesting the mood at NUFC with the transfer window closing Thursday and our first game at noon on Saturday.

    #Bishopgetoutofourclub

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  40. Eric Sykes:
    Kimtoon: What amazes me is that some fans still buy the Ashley/Bishop, propaganda/PR. You would think by now they would have been burned enough to not believe it.

    What I am talking about is the no money to spend because it comes in instalments. That we pay in cash. NO WE DON’T. It is the headline transfer number that is important, both selling and buying, because in the near future that money will come in and go out. The timing is almost trivial because it will happen. Big teams hardly ever go bust and it is not like we are dealing with Sunderland.

    And the TV money is guaranteed and when you have guaranteed income you can always borrow against it.

    The other 19 teams work this way, matching incoming and outgoing funds, but I see so many gullible fans believing what Bishop says, and the Chronic pass on until their credibility is so shot that they have to write the truth. By then it is 1 article against hundreds. I hate Trump but he is a master of PR and he knows that if lies are repeated enough they become accepted. So do Bishop and his lackeys in the news industry.

    It should be interesting the mood at NUFC with the transfer window closing Thursday and our first game at noon on Saturday.

    #Bishopgetoutofourclub

    agree mate, we USED to pay in cash not so anymore as you say.

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  41. PremAndUp:
    We never used to buy players over 26. Not any more.

    That’s cause with what we are prepared to spend we have to be a bit more flexible I reckon Prem.

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  42. I will try to be positive because there is so much negativity out there and I have fanned the flames myself. The striker situation is the most pressing so let’s look at that.

    * WBA are not in that good of a place with Rondon as he is in the last year of his contract and he wants to leave. Where has there been any interest in him except from NUFC? They want the buyout amount and are entitled to that up front but that doesn’t mean they are going to get it. We could still compromise and the Gayle swap is a way to reduce the outlay.

    * But what if Gayle doesn’t want to go? Why would he? It seems he is well liked by his team mates and there has been minimal moaning from the terraces. And can you really see Rafa applying much pressure here as it also seems in an ideal world he would like to keep Dwight. So that would be the number 1 option with some deal being struck to get Rondon.

    * If Gayle goes, we desperately need a replacement. There seems to be a ready made, cheap replacement though in Lucas Perez at Arsenal for 7 million. He is 30 in a month but for that price who cares if he has sell on value? He and Rondon could easily play another 4 years and that would help bank 125 million a year from the TV deal. That’s 500 million Fatman, I would say that is a good tradeoff where Gydfli Siggurrdson, also with no sell on value, cost 45 million. It is time for Ashley to wake up to a new reality.

    * keep Gayle, fart around until it is too late with Rondon and keep the status quo. I am about 50/50 that this will happen except I think there might be an 11th hour desperation move maybe for Lucas Perez. This is a massive gamble though as it is clear that Rafa wants a Mitro type player with a bit more pace but who is not Mitro.

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  43. I see a lot of the different NUFC groups have come together and started something called The Magpie Group. Wrote an open letter to Jabba. I expect he won’t read it but it’s a good start. Direct action must follow.

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  44. With all of the stupid names being linked I actually think Lucas Perez could be an option. He did OK at Arsenal but not up to Arsenal PL standard which is much higher than NUFC standard. Since he was loaned to Deportivo, Arsenal have bought Aubamayang, Lacazette and Mihkitarian so if he was surplus a year ago his situation has only got worse. I am pretty sure they would accept instalments and Rafa was interested before.

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  45. Eric just a question on your maths. £500m assumes that we are relegated and stay out of the premier League for 4 years? I’m not sure that Perez & Rondon would guarantee that we are not relegated. If we are not relegated and they merely improve our position in the league the very most would be £77m over 4 years.

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  46. Prem: it was just a simple multiplication of what the TV money would be if we finished around 10th in the PL. This year that was 123 million and I rounded up a bit. I am not absolutely sure Perez and Rondon would make that a certainty but they would make it more likely.

    I think the TV money in the Championship was around 7 million a year although I think there may be an increase. I was just pointing out the obvious that we need to do all we can to retain our PL status.

    The clarion call on here is that if we don’t move forwards we go backwards pointing towards Wolves, Fulham and even Huddersfield as teams spending more than us. These may not be Rafa’s first choice players but they would give us a focal point and a bit of impetus which we badly need.

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  47. Also, Lucas Perez and Rondon fit what we have been buying – players who have run down their contracts. Like it or lump it, the reality is we are shopping in the bargain bin.

    I have no idea what this fan group hope to achieve with this letter to Ashley. I am guessing they saw the reaction to the West Ham fans mini-revolt and thought Ashley would do the same thing. That assumes that Fatty was ever serious about selling NUFC which many on here doubt. He is just as likely to dig his heals in.

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  48. My point is that the difference between 7th and 17th is £19.6m per year. We ain’t getting top 6, so provided we can survive in the premiership what’s the point in spending big to get 10th?. We have to spend enough to survive, and given that we finished 10th, Ashley’s logic must be strengthen the squad and we will be alright. No need for marquee signings. Get rid of the deadwood and players that Rafa wont use and bring in some low cost options that he will. Keep a lid on the wages and job’s a goodan.

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  49. PremAndUp:
    My point is that the difference between 7th and 17th is £19.6m per year. We ain’t getting top 6, so provided we can survive in the premiership what’s the point in spending big to get 10th?. We have to spend enough to survive, and given that we finished 10th, Ashley’s logic must be strengthen the squad and we will be alright. No need for marquee signings. Get rid of the deadwood and players that Rafa wont use and bring in some low cost options that he will. Keep a lid on the wages and job’s a goodan.

    But lose Rafa for total lack of ambition and saying one thing and doing another! As I said, and believe, when there is this much money sloshing around, the game has changed and you have to spend to stand still, let alone move forward. When an average player is now 15 million and up it is wise to box clever and I think we have done that so far whatever the criticism.

    To actually give ourselves a good chance of staying up we need a few more additions who will not cost the earth. Ashley can have his cake and eat it too because he gets his budget buys and gives himself a chance of keeping Rafa.

    I don’t understand what the fan groups are doing with 9 days to go until the window closes. Do they really think they will change anything or is it just an exercise in self flagellation?

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  50. When blokes are unhappy and they can’t solve their own problems the pretend that they can solve somebodyelse’s, in this case NUFC’s. So they throw their energy into that rather than addressing the root causes. Feel good factor. Ashley won’t care.

    If we improve the basis of the usable squad, which we are doing, and survive, which we should, then we will know what the impact of Brexit will be next year. This year there are so many variables it would not make sense to be gung ho. Keep your powder dry and play within fiscal rules.

    Given the operating parameters the strategy seems logical. There are better options, but Ashley runs a very tight ship. He’s had his fingers burned often enough.

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  51. P.S. I am not suggesting that by not spending this year we will suddenly start to spend next. But the picture will be clearer and the options available to whoever owns the club.

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  52. It is totally pointless to send a letter to Ashley. He has shown he does what he wants. I don’t think it will sway Rafa either except maybe have the opposite effect of what they want and push him closer to the exit. What does Ashley care even if there is unrest on the terraces? Unlike the West Ham owners he doesn’t even go to the games.

    I am trying not to be too dismissive of this new effort because it is well meaning but very likely wrong headed in its effects. As I said, I think it will make it more likely that Rafa goes rather than less likely.

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  53. PremAndUp:
    My point is that the difference between 7th and 17th is £19.6m per year. We ain’t getting top 6, so provided we can survive in the premiership what’s the point in spending big to get 10th?. We have to spend enough to survive, and given that we finished 10th, Ashley’s logic must be strengthen the squad and we will be alright. No need for marquee signings. Get rid of the deadwood and players that Rafa wont use and bring in some low cost options that he will. Keep a lid on the wages and job’s a goodan.

    Not much point point in 50k fans turning up every week then is there if that’s the only ambition. Not munch point in having a manager like Rafa either.

    The problem like relegation will occur when Rafa is no longer here. Most clubs get relegated eventually when just trying to survive.

    The other point is, what is the point in having money in the bank instead of spending it? Football isn’t like any other business. The owners aren’t in it to make money and take dividends. They expect to make their money when they sell the club. In that respect being happy with 15th while having £40m in the bank is pretty pointless. And certainly a bore for the supporters.

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  54. Tend to agree Eric, much as I like what the Magpie group is trying to do here, in the end he will do as he pleases. I do think though that he gets niggled by the criticism as we have seen Bishops press release stating he’s not a pantomime villain as made out to be . So that tells me it bothers him to an extent.
    Will this and other action be enough to remove him? no I don’t think so, he will just dig his heels in even more imo.
    He will leave one day but on his terms or possibly in a box judging by his life style, either way it can’t come soon enough for me.

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  55. Stuart I’m trying to see how Ashley is thinking, not a fan. Ashley is not a fan/owner who wants the excitement or Kudos of owning a club. He did at the beginning, but things have changed. Your argument might be true if an owner turned up every week, and was liked by the fans. But that’s not the case.

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  56. Stu, we just have to sit tight and forget about cups and ambition for now mate. He will go one day and probably when we least expect it.
    Once Rafa is gone I’m pretty certain the better players will follow him and we will likely drop again with his way of running us. I would happily take a couple of drops to be rid of him.

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  57. It’s very telling actually Prem. The fact he doesn’t turn up is obviously because he knows he’s not liked and likely isn’t fussed how we do. So if owning us was for the kudos of owning a club and to ‘have a bit of fun ‘as he put it then that has long since gone. So the question is, why hang onto us ?
    It can only be because somewhere along the line he is making serious money off the back of ownership. I still maintain the SD advertisement has boosted his company massively and he should write off a part of that loan now after 11 years.
    He could also take half the Tv money this season and pay off part of the loan I would of thought. The quicker it’s paid back the cheaper he could sell us, that is after all what he says he wants , isn’t it ?

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  58. If somebody asked me to sign an Ashley out letter I would sign it. I am sick of him saying one thing and doing another. I am sick of him hiring cronies, lackeys and no nothing sucker uppers.

    I spent 2 years ranting about Pardew, especially at Troy, even though it wouldn’t do anything. The sackpardew.com campaign did little, even walkouts did not make the Fatman budge. The football was awful, he had lost control and still he was retained until Palace triggered the buyout. He was never sacked so I just do not know what will make Ashley change. Certainly not a supporter open letter. There was at least 6 month of sackpardew.com and nothing changed.

    I don’t think any of us can make sense of him because you would think that he would be pursuing his own self interest at NUFC to get a stronger team that is worth more, to build the infrastructure so it is worth more, to have a Manager in charge on a long term contract that would be appealing to a potential buyer (as was said to be the case with Stavely). All of this would benefit his beloved Sports Direct in the short term and the sale value in the long term.

    So a one page letter basically saying Ashley you are **** fck off isn’t going to do anything.

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  59. I see some people saying hit him in the wallet. Protest outside the Sports Direct Store on Northumberland Street. What exactly will that do? It is one store and the business is moving online anyway like all chain highstreet businesses. Don’t you have to have a permit anyway. All they have to do is call the Police and move you along. Refuse and you will be arrested. Yeah, I would really like to have an arrest record for standing outside Fatman’s shop with a banner, even if the group paid the fine and I was thought of as a hero/martyr.

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  60. Yep, Fatty is worth 2 Billion + and you stand outside his shop on Northumberland for 1/2 an hour. That’s really going to hurt him. Gnat on an Elephants **** comes to mind and is oddly appropriate given Ashley’s girth and the lack of success of previous protests.

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  61. SD shareholders won’t be impressed at protest Eric and it will cause him grief I think.
    He is hoping to go more up market with his stores and any negative publicity won’t help. The trick is to keep up with the protest, not sure you can be arrested for peacefully standing outside a shop with a banner or plaque , it’s a free country after all .

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  62. Spot on, Kim. Protesting at SD is a great way to get to him. That’s his baby. I’d also protest at games with banners. I’d also desecrate SD signs around the ground. That might be more of a challenge and it is slightly illegal but all in all it would get good publicity.

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  63. Stuart79:
    I see the Rondon deal has stalled. This really is hillarious now.

    We should look to sign Lucas Perez and Joe Bryan and forget Rondon .

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  64. £7M for Perez v how much for Rondon ? AND we get to keep Gayle. There simply has to be £7m and £6m there for perez and bryan , are we not due instalments from Gini and Sissy we can utilise ?

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  65. kimtoon:
    SD shareholders won’t be impressed at protest Eric and it will cause him griefI think.
    He is hoping to go more up market with his stores and any negative publicity won’t help. The trick is to keep up with the protest, not sure you can be arrested for peacefully standing outside a shop with a banner or plaque , it’s a free country after all .

    I wouldn’t underestimate the authorities and how they can overreact. I went on an extremely peaceful protest against the Iraq War about 14 years ago in Chicago. It was for the most part a few thousand middle aged old hippies. No anarchists, no communists. I am a financial planner FFS, my ex-wife owns a travel company and my friend owns a fabric company. We, and the hippies, were the least likely people to cause trouble.

    And yet, the route was lined with police in riot gear. More police than protesters. They had the helmets on, the full body armour including shin and knee pads, billy clubs (big truncheons) and of course fire arms.

    The Rally ended at the State building but about 200 yards before that we decided we knew the issues, didn’t really need to hear the speeches and said **** this for a lark and went to the pub.

    What I am saying is do not underestimate an overreaction. Free speech does not always include the right to assemble. I am sure you have seen some of the overreactions to G7 meetings where there were admittedly anarchists present.

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  66. Kimtoon: you are a lot more trusting of the Police than I am. Last time I was back in Newcastle I went out with a school friend I hadn’t seen in 20 years. He was retired for ill health from the Newcastle plain clothes anti-football hooligan task force. Some would infiltrate the groups but he told me a lot of it was getting pissed up with the fans and if there was any trouble arresting the usual suspects, the known trouble makers. But he also said they had a quota of arrests that they had to fill so when there was a set to they would just arrest people at random. Then they end up with a criminal record. As I said, you have a lot more faith in the Police than I do.

    He said they would follow the Toon to Barcelona and Milan and had no conscience about arresting innocent people.

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  67. The Americans over react to everything mate 😀

    Seriously though, if you are peaceful and just expressing an opinion then there can’t be grounds for arrest surely.

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