As every Newcastle United fan under the sun will know, all the talk on Tyneside is currently centred around whether the Premier League will or will not approve a £300m Saudi-backed takeover at St James’ Park.
It’s the big question we’ve been waiting to hear the answer to for what feels like a lifetime now, however the ongoing delay allows us to focus our attentions elsewhere for a moment.
I won’t name names, but a piece was released today from a Newcastle United site urging the Premier League to BLOCK the proposed buyout. An awful take on a situation that’s frustrating enough as it is, yet there is one person they need to take a good look at – Mike Ashley.
We talk about their ‘fit and proper person’s test’ to determine whether a potential new owner is deemed suitable to own a Premier League club – something the Saudi-backed consortium are currently being scrutinised over – yet the latest actions of our shameless owner tell me he needs seriously looking at.
The list of unacceptable decisions he’s made over the years is endless, but his latest act of carelessness should not be tolerated, with today being yet another sad reminder that he’s STILL charging fans and refusing to issue refunds for season ticket payments – both for this season and the 2020/21 campaign.
Both he and the club continue to hide behind a potential takeover, instead of communicating with fans who are the ones left to suffer yet again – in more ways than one on this occasion.
These times are tough enough as it is, but leaving loyal fans out of pocket and in the dark when we now know the 2019/20 season will be played behind closed doors is unacceptable.
Other clubs have already issues refunds/stopped payments given most clubs are set to play over a quarter of their home league games behind closed doors. They’re showing us up.
Not only that, refunds are yet to be issued (or even addressed) for the tens of thousands of ticket sold for our postponed FA Cup clash with Manchester City at St James’ Park or the away trip to Bournemouth.
In typical Newcastle United style under Mike Ashley, we are the ones left behind. Ignored, neglected and cheated, with several protest groups such as the NUST and Toon For Change also seeing letters of complaint fall on deaf ears.
Is anyone listening? Or is he just going to keep on getting away with it while this ‘imminent’ takeover continues to drag on? This is a club that have just announced a profit after tax of £34.7m…
At a time where the Saudis are being scrutinised by every man and his dog on a daily basis, isn’t it time Mike Ashley was questioned about the club’s complete lack of communication and constant exploitation of fans?
If I was paying for a service and that service was no longer being provided in any other walk of life, I’d have every right to expect action to be taken and repercussions for the business involved.
The severity of the accusations may seem insignificant when compared to *some* of the claims being made about the Saudis, but it’s ironic that the Premier League have been inundated with complaints against our would-be new owners, all while they’ve allowed Mike Ashley to get away with murder for 13 years, watching on as he single handedly runs a football club into the ground after over a decade of neglect, betrayal and a total lack of investment and communication.
Protest groups have sent letters, statements have been released and there’s been widespread dismay voiced on social media. If no one will listen to that, perhaps it’s time a greater power gave our disgraced owner the kick up the backside he deserves.
Hmrc is investigating Newcastle Newcastle United and the fans have done nothing wrong it’s the people who at the top who run it so why should the football club and it’s fans suffer because of Ashley I hope the premier league look at him his he a proper owner if charged he has to be held accountable not the football club
Lenny(Quote)
Pathetic regime, systematically dismantled a club from top to bottom and all with the blessing of the EPL. Pundits telling us to be thankful for the privilege. MERSON and the rest of the southern press telling us we are dillusional for even thinking we can be in the big time again. There is an agenda against us without a shadow of doubt.
Oliveroll(Quote)
I am so glad we are playing in a empty stadium because the fans might just wake up and never go back while he is in charge just look at what he did to to great people who served our football club I honestly thought our fans would stand up to him and not get away with how he treated Kevin Keegan and Alan Shearer these are two of our greatest I genuinely hope Amanda Staveley is successful for the good of our football club
Lenny(Quote)
As for Paul Merson if Ashley was in charge of his beloved arsenal he would be in rehab of the drink again of course they don’t want us taken over because they are scared they know what is going to happen
Lenny(Quote)
And het the same fans being abused And used And constantly complaining will be the same omes back through the turnstyles. You have yourselves to blame. Yourselves all culpable. Im a geordie. And support the team with every fibre of my being. Which is why i will never every enter that ground or the fat fkers tat shops until he is gone. Complete blanket ban on nufc until he is gone. Id rather relegation that step back into the hallowed ground. Hes laughing at You. There is no takeover. Never has been. You people are the only omes with the power to end this. But yourselves too fkn blind to see it. Its not loyalty. Its stupidity. And i will never be part of it. Because Im back And white through And through.
Stephen(Quote)
Please forgive the bloody corrective spelling
Stephen(Quote)
It can’t be the relegation issue holding it up as the buyers have signed a contract and paid a deposit. That contract will be subject to PL approval and once that’s done the balance gets sent and it’s done.
I suspect the PL are in a pickle and haven’t got the balls to deal with it.
Stuart79(Quote)
Is the key to Coronavirus getting people to use hand sanitizers more regular? Just make it compulsory to use sanitiser in every shop, cafe, restaurant, shop, airport or plane people go on. The vast majority of cases are caused by people touching things and then touching their face. This would be a much easier win than everything else they’re trying.
Apparently you have a 13% chance of catching it from an infected person if you stand 1m away from someone. They’re pretty good odds and odds I’d take. 2m away and the odds are 3%. So let’s get business back, people washing their hands, not touching their faces and allow people to stand 1m apart.
Stuart79(Quote)
Still think the Saudis would pull the plug and lose their £17m rather than own a championship club at that price.
georgio(Quote)
Testing centres absolutely empty. What a joke! Same people who aren’t going for tests will be the ones slagging everyone off for it starting up again.
Stuart79(Quote)
They can’t pull the plug. They have signed a contract. If the PL say it’s it’s done.
Stuart79(Quote)
I see the media are getting their teeth into George Floyd. By all accounts he has an arrest record as long as his arm and his latest escapade led him to be arrested and convicted of robbing and beating a pregnant black woman. When she wouldn’t give him money he pointed a gun at the woman’s stomach.
Clearly this doesn’t justify murdering the guy but it would certainly put a slightly different slant on the innocent man who was doing no harm narrative doing the rounds…
Stuart79(Quote)
Crystal meth in his system as well. It was still murder though.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Perhaps the PL think the Saudis will get fed up of the waiting and dilly dallying and walk away from it.
Would certainly save them the headache of it all.
Seems an awful long time they’re taking how ever you look at it.
kimtoon(Quote)
Stu, re the test centers. I have said all along that if you are running a fever and aching all over, last thing you want to do is drive miles, if at all to a test center.
I know when i had swine flu, i couldn’t get off the bed at the start of it let alone drive.
You have to go alone as well, can’t be driven.
kimtoon(Quote)
Why you can’t have all test sent out to peoples address i will never know.
kimtoon(Quote)
I thought George Floyd was arrested for trying to use a fake bill in that store ?
Having watched the entire clip (10 mins ) it was murder, he knew exactly what he was doing and the other two who were on his back to start with.
They dumped him on that stretcher like a side of meat, his head dropped obviously dead, though i could tell that much after just 5 or 6 mins in . Disgusting from all involved and utterly shocking to see someone die like that.
Criminal he may be, but a human being first and foremost . He was unarmed and not resisting arrest as other footage has now shown .
kimtoon(Quote)
Bang on Lenny, how dare we threaten the status quo of the top 6
kimtoon(Quote)
So Matty Longstaff has an offer of £30k a week from Udinese. That’s double what he’s been offered at NUFC. Anyone tell me the logic of losing one of our best young players for £780k a year in wages?
Stuart79(Quote)
The sad thing about this George Floyd incident is that with all the protests and demos and the clear traction it’s gained around the world, US police are going to be petrified of dealing with black criminals. How long until a police officer dies because he was thinking too much of the reaction to what’s happened instead of protecting himself or others…?
What a mess!
Stuart79(Quote)
https://www.boredpanda.com/owner-cup-foods-response-to-george-floyd-police-brutality-mahmoud-abumayyaleh/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=BPFacebook
The sad thing is that the police are not doing their job and have lost the respect of their own community. Unfortunately people are dying because of the police, this may involve police dying as well. Until the police start doing their job of protecting the community they put themselves at risk.
PremAndUp(Quote)
Today is the 10th anniversary of the West Cumbrian killings. I lost a good friend in that.
PremAndUp(Quote)
I remember that, the taxi driver killer.
kimtoon(Quote)
Don’t know if people in the UK are getting pictures of the protests in US but it is all very confusing when it comes to the social distancing advice. Does that not matter anymore? There are thousands out standing side by side, many without masks. There are hundreds of cops milling around chatting with no masks either. And a lot of the pictures are from NYC the epicentre of CV-19 in the US.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I am not even hearing any discussion on TV about how all of this fits with CV-19. The authorities shut down the economy and for what? Most of the protesters are young and seem to only care to the point of wearing a mask.
They are very low risk. I have said a few times that there should have been a two tier system where those most at risk self isolate and therest of us get on with it because the economic carnage will be worse than CV-19.
I know Stuart agrees but also some don’t. If you can open a beer garden in Munich then why not a pub in Chicago?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It is confusing the hell out me. Last week you could get arrested for being out doing “non-essential” things and now cops are putting dozens of protesters in paddy wagons in NYC with no thought of social distancing.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, we are living in strange times for sure.
It will be interesting to see if these protest cause a big spike there and here, i guess two weeks should give us a good indication.
kimtoon(Quote)
Eric – relocate to Florida.
All restaurants and most bars in the Tampa Bay area have been open for nearly 3 weeks.
But you still can’t get your hair cut. 😀
sidekick(Quote)
Eric – I suppose when you have peaceful protesters being tear gased whilst opportunistic sh!tbags want to loot and burn – a cough and fever doesn’t seem as news worthy.
It feels like Trump is fuelling this to detract from how badly he has handled the COVID situation – the worse the riots/protest the bigger the distraction – then he can blame that on the bad outcome of COVID.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Meanwhile back in Britain, our government is ready to open the door to millions from Hong Kong.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Rightly so, Sharpy. We have an obligation to them. Clearly anybody with Covid shouldn’t be coming though…
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu – I agree they need help mate, what China is doing is a disgrace.
What worries me is we are in a time where we are struggling to take care of those already in Britain, I don’t know how we go about supporting potentially millions more.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Hopefully we will treat them better than we have been treating the windrush generation
PremAndUp(Quote)
I’d start by asking those who are highly skilled of which there are many in Hong Kong and get them to bring their business’ over here free from interference from Beijing. They have much expertise in finance and tech based industries.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu – there will absolutely be opportunities like that, and that could in turn create jobs for people.
But that will be a small percentage of the millions suffering out there, and the highly skilled will likely have their pick of Countries who would happily welcome them as well.
It’s the vast majority of not so skilled and far more vulnerable that I had in mind.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Poor Penfold working from home now,what’s ganning on?
Icedog(Quote)
Ice – he wants to count himself lucky mate. I’m amazed Ashley hasn’t furloughed him on 80% pay!!
Sharpy17(Quote)
😆 😆 😡
Icedog(Quote)
Yaaawwwwn! *** I so wish we had footy back… so tired of politics, tired of being stuck in my parents house away from home (except now I’ve no home as it’s in a container upon the ocean)…
Toon Toon (ex Dubai Toon)(Quote)
Just the 15,000 congregating in Hyde park then… many will be from BAME background while have a higher risk of dying from Coronavirus. Same people will be complaining in a week or so that the government have gone too fast.
Stuart79(Quote)
Aye mate.
kimtoon(Quote)
Do you still need to go back mate, or have you managed to sort things remotely ?
kimtoon(Quote)
Ice, i thought Penfold had cleared out ?
kimtoon(Quote)
Exactly mate they will be the ones cast aside, poor buggers .
kimtoon(Quote)
Horrible rain here now, still at least mu roses are happy.
kimtoon(Quote)
my
kimtoon(Quote)
What’s going on with this takeover then. Sick of hearing ‘updates’ reported by journalists, which are not updates at all – just their opinion.
Shamrock(Quote)
Sham, it’s beyond frustrating now, cannot see how it’s taking so long.
kimtoon(Quote)
Why are these arseholes who are protesting now battling with the police? What is wrong with these people?! They realise the police are a soft touch so try it on. They’re a disgrace. Send them all to North Korea
Stuart79(Quote)
he been put out his office,has to work from home,i dont know why,its bloody funny like whats up i wonder?
icedog(Quote)
i know where i would send then,thought people were back at work
icedog(Quote)
Sham – yeah, I notice the likes of Luke Edwards and journalists like that who were saying almost on a daily basis ‘it’s just a matter of days now’ – well we’ve not heard much from them recently ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Yeah it’s sad how quickly people can go from appreciating our emergency services to then fighting with them.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – Edwards, Chronicle and interesting don’t belong in the same sentence mate ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Eric, The Chronicle podcast was basically saying clearly there’s a problem with the piracy issue otherwise it wouldn’t have gone on for so long. Which is fair comment. It’s obviously complicated but they also had a barrister on who said he doesn’t see why it would be rejected based on his own investigations. But the PL need to be water tight as they don’t want litigation from either side.
It’s clearly an issue because George Caulkin who is close to the buyers said today that they’ve been answering questions and providing details about the piracy issue even this week.
Stuart79(Quote)
Thugs attacking police officers in London during demos or as I call them riots. The government should be making all demos illegal in the current climate.
These wankers are just using this as an excuse to cause **** and it’s pathetic.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu – Sky News isn’t letting me lift the clip, but there’s one on there of the ‘protesters’ clashing with police and all of them are the aggressors, all of them are black and either shouting in police faces or hitting them with signs – it’s disgraceful and does there cause no good at all.
I don’t understand why the genuine ones stand by and watch.
There’s a lot of ironic racism going on off the back of all this too. The tv show This morning for example – Alison Hammond is usually only used to flog a holiday compo – yet this happens and they interview her – they don’t usually care what she has to say. A lot of TV programmes are doing it, yet next week they won’t want to hear what their black colleagues have to said.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Stu – what’s scary in America is that since the pandemic all they have done as a country is protest.
But when white people take to the streets armed with guns to complain they can get a haircut or tattoo – they are good people who aren’t being listened to according to Trump.
Yet when blacks people take to the same streets, unarmed and protesting about an injustice and systemic racism – Trump proves their point by sending in the Troops.
Sharpy17(Quote)
There are plenty of other ethnicities protesting, not just black .
Not excusing thuggery or looting here, just pointing out a fact.
kimtoon(Quote)
It’s also not unheard of for far right activist to infiltrate protest groups and start trouble to bring condemnation on protesters.
kimtoon(Quote)
Hi Kim, we’ve done most things remotely, like packing our household into a container with the help of friends, but we still need to go back for a while. My Ex company is holding back some of my Final payment until they are able to cancel my residence visa and they cannot do it while I’m out the country. Also our friends there have all my wife’s jewellery etc which we could not put into the container. Now though, with 2 weeks quarantine mandatory in uae when we go back, which we will need to do in a hotel as we have no home now, then a week or so to sort out visas, then another 2 weeks quarantine in the UK when we return, we would miss the shipment arriving, so our window to return in June has gone. We now need to first get permission to return To UAE (as all stranded people have to now) then find a flight, etc, so we will need to wait until mid July now I guess until our things arrive and we at least have a home here. C’est la vie! That’s life as they say!
Toon Toon (ex Dubai Toon)(Quote)
Bloomin heck Dubai, what a ball ache. You must be going up the wall with it. This virus has caused so many issues for everyone but you don’t think about stuff like this .
Hopefully things get sorted for you soon, have you at least sorted somewhere to live here ?
kimtoon(Quote)
KIm – there are other ethics protesting, but there are only black people I can see fighting with police in that video – and as the protest has been brought about by police violence against blacks – their actions don’t help the cause really.
As for your second point, totally agree. That clown swinging punches at a police horse paraded as a Newcastle fan but that wasn’t what it was about. Most of those kicking off that day weren’t even at the game. They travelled into Newcastle to kick off.
No doubt the handful of idiots tarnish it for those who are right to stand against wrong doings.
There is a black UFC fighter called Jon Jones – he has taken to the streets to protect them against the idiots that want to burn and loot. There is a video of him taking cans of spray paint off 3 young lads the other night – they handed it over without question when they realised who it was. But good on him. He supports the protests but understands the looting dilutes the message and gives ammunition to those against them.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Dubai – are you still with your folks mate?. Are you able to start looking for a house over here now as I think the estate agents are back up and running in some capacity now arent there?.
How’s things looking work wise for you?.
It’s crazy isn’t it?!. I know Stu fights the case of lifting the lockdown to get things moving again. There will be lots of people in your position, stuck in limbo and some loosing money because of that.
Hope you get sorted soon mate.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Cheers Kim! We are staying with my parents since we came back on 15th March. We had bought a house Just before my redundancy, (luckily right next door to my parents) but it was in need of Full renovation before we could live in it. When I was made redundant we had to get the renovation speeded up and a bit more extensive which was why we came back in March. The original plan was to rent it out for a few years first, then get More extensive renovation Done later. Hopefully the renovations will be completed by end of June and ready for our container arriving in early July. ???
Toon Toon (ex Dubai Toon)(Quote)
????
Stuart79(Quote)
Cheers Sharpy, I think I answered Most of that in my reply to Kim. Still no job though. Luckily my redundancy pay was ok, but at some point I will need something… we will see. We are still in a better position than many others.. ?
Toon Toon (ex Dubai Toon)(Quote)
The Black and White podcast in The Chronic was actually interesting in 2 respects. They had a lawyer on who had written an article on the takeover and his conclusion after poring over the PL owners and directors test rules was that they could not block it. No timeline was given but that just shows that it has been pure speculation and wishful thinking when journos gave/give dates. Even NUFC.com, who are usually very cautious with their reporting, got in on it.
The second thing is that Luke Edwards looks at Steve Bruce with rose coloured glasses so we cannot believe a word he says about the man. He went on for 5 minutes about what a good job he had done whilst only mentioning in passing the awful football. I think he lets his friendship with Bruce cloud his judgement but thankfully he recognizes that Bruce is gone with new owners and didn’t say he deserves to stay on like a lot of the idiot ex-player pundits say.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Against my better judgement I read Miguel Dalaney of The Independents latest article. He is supposed to be a journalist and as such has a duty to give a balanced and unbiased view. This is nothing of the sort. He has quotes from only one side of the issue – those against the NUFC takeover. His article is not an opinion piece and as such should at least try to give both sides of the story. And yet he doesn;t even pay lipservice to that. He makes no mention of the fact that Bein Sports is owned by the Qatari Govt and is trying to influence world public opinion via their Al Jazeera TV network. Them getting the rights for the PL is just as blatant sports washing as any purchase of a PL team would be. And dont get me started on the World Cup and the bribery and human rights issues there.
This man seems to be The Independents main sports writer now and seems to be on a crusade against NUFC. He is the one that has put it out there that a decision will be made mid June. What does he know? Nothing. Just like every other journo who has made a prediction. It is another total guess probably based on the assumption that the season will have resumed and offer a smokescreen/distraction for the PL whichever way their decision falls. It is still total guesswork though.
The only one I would listen to is Caulkin and that is because he seems to have Stavely’s ear.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I cant see these protests dying down anytime soon. There is a George Floyd memorial service today but his funeral is not until next Tuesday. With so many people out of work and the students and schools off this will go on until at least next week.
Stuart is getting his wish for an end to self isolation but not in a good way as nobody is going back to work and helping the economy. A normal president could help here and calm things down but Trump is the worst crisis manager ever. We all knew this, but he seems to want to set the military against the people. At least he is not nuking Iran (yet) as a Wag the Dog response.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Dubai – yeah mate, good that you have your own space already sorted and it may not be as planned but as you rightly say, it could be worse.
Hopefully work comes along soon for you mate, but it sounds like you have plenty to keep you busy over the next few months at least.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Dubai, glad you at least have a house here ready-ish, good luck on the job front too.
kimtoon(Quote)
Eric, Delaney is a Manure fan 😉
kimtoon(Quote)
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/tottenham-175m-bank-england-loan-144022437.html
kimtoon(Quote)