The speculation about the future of Matty Longstaff is providing a distraction from the monotony of the takeover.
As a supporter, I agree with the general view on social media that it would be a dream to play at St James’ Park in the black and white. A local player turning down a new contract to move to Udinese is impossible to understand on a purely emotional level.
However, Matty is now a professional football player and his agents will be encouraging him to take emotion out of the biggest decision of his life. As I put my bias to one side, I can see the reasoning for the young midfielder to leave this summer, with or without a takeover.
The common perception online is that Matty is waiting to see if a takeover goes through before making his decision. Many expect if it does, he would quickly put pen to paper on new terms. However, it could have the opposite impact.
A takeover will likely lead to a managerial change, which would see Steve Bruce leave the club. This is the man that has shown faith in Matty and given him his opportunity in the Premier League. The next manager may not rate him in the same way.
Further to this, a takeover will lead to bigger investment in the current playing squad. He already saw his game time decrease following the arrival of Nabil Bentaleb. When the season resumes, he will be fifth choice in the centre of the park. If more investment comes in, it is likely he would move
even further away from the first team picture.
This coupled with Bruce’s likely exit means that a takeover could increase Matty’s desire to leave. If this was a purely footballing decision, based on playing time and development, he would be more likely to be successful at St James’ Park under the current regime than one with a Saudi-boosted
bank balance.
The financial angle has been well covered in the media, with this being seen as his main motivation for a move away. At the age of 20, his stock is high following two eye-catching performances against Manchester United and he may not have a similar opportunity to gain a big money contract.
Matty remains at the early stage of his development and this could stall at any point. His own brother, Sean, was linked with a £50 million move to Manchester United last summer following his breakthrough. Since then, his form has been average and he hasn’t played as much as he would have liked. When Isaac Hayden and Jonjo Shelvey are both fit, he has found himself on the bench. Even Sean would admit his season hasn’t gone to plan.
This will serve as a reminder to Matty about how quickly things can change. If he fails to develop, due to lack of game time at St James’ Park, he may never get another opportunity to earn the sums of money that Udinese are offering.
A quick look at the fortunes of Rolando Aarons provides another warning in that respect. The winger was linked to Manchester City and Liverpool prior to signing his long term contract with us in 2016. Since then, the winger has played only eight times in the league for Newcastle. He has spent the last
year on loan at Wycombe Wanderers and Motherwell. It is likely that his long term future is in the lower leagues, with a move to Anfield or the Etihad Stadium a distant dream.
Meanwhile, Adam Armstrong has left the club and emerged as one of the finest players in the Championship over the last 12 months. The young Geordie should get another chance in the top flight if he maintains his current career trajectory.
Every case is different. There is a chance that Matty could sign a new deal and thrive on Tyneside over the coming years. However, the differing fortunes of two former highly-rated academy graduates will be in the thoughts of Longstaff and his representatives.
The emotion will have a say in the decision of Matty, which is why a new contract remains a possibility. However, it is easy to see why he and his agents may decide to end his time at St James’ Park.
Udinese offers a chance to test himself in a new country, with greater financial stability and opportunities to progress as a first team player. The path to regular minutes in Italy is more achievable than it currently is in Newcastle. If a takeover goes through, Matty’s task would become even more difficult. The Serie A club’s links to Watford also opens up a pathway back to the Premier League.
This is a business decision and the task of keeping Matty at the club became a lot more difficult at the beginning of the year when he was allowed to discuss terms with foreign clubs. The mistake was made when the club allowed it to get to that stage. He has seen what is out there and quite simply, it is more appealing, both financially and professionally.
Supporters, myself included, have bemoaned the lack of investment and attention paid to the academy under Ashley. We aren’t good at developing young talent, with the Longstaffs being the exception rather than the rule. Matty couldn’t be blamed for seeing a move away as the best option
for his development.
Matty’s departure could be the final disappointment of the Ashley era. The future of the midfielder wasn’t made a priority following his debut goal against Manchester United and this was a misstep.
He and his camp clearly feel undervalued, with an expectation that his emotional connection to the city would be enough to keep him at the club. This was another miscalculation by Ashley and Matty can’t be blamed if he does decide to leave.
It has been covered many times in blogs that Matty would probably drop down the pecking order if we are taken over, so he might as well go now.
And as for Sean Longstaff being linked with a 50 million move – it was 30 million, and Man U decided he wasn’t worth the money.
So at that point I stopped reading.
BykerBill(Quote)
We badly need a conclusion to this takeover, we are in limbo and the Matty situation is just one issue along with ST money being taken and not even the assurance we will be a PL team next season.
Everything is up in the air .
kimtoon(Quote)
We will be in the PL next season Kimtoon. By luck or by crook we will survive. We only need like 3 points now and even if Brucie reverts to the 9-0-1 system we will get those. IDWT (In Dubravka We Trust).
Eric Sykes(Quote)
You are a total tosspot aren’t you BrisV. I dont agree with Stewie Thatcher’s politics but I will engage with him and he is a NUFC fan. He brings up interesting points on here unlike you and your moaning identical 83 year old twin AMF.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Longstaff it seems has his focus on the £££ not his career. I find it understandable but I also wonder if that’s the kind of personality we want in the dressing room? Of course it could all be a big game of bluff but we won’t know that until there’s a resolution. I don’t believe he’s worth £30k a week – not yet. The problem is Udinese think he is so that’s where we’re at.
Stuart79(Quote)
I think he has his agent in his ear, it would be a mistake to go to Udinese imo but if that’s what he really wants then so be it.
£20,000 a week , if it’s true that’s what we’ve offered is a good wage for a lad who’s only started what 6 times.
I really like Matty and think he’ll be better than Sean eventually, i hope he stays.
kimtoon(Quote)
Eric, I always found both Bris and Aussie to be good lads, been on and off here for years and contributed lots in the past.
Name calling is for Eds lot, you said so yourself .
kimtoon(Quote)
No. Both (they are the same person though) only come on to have a moan now. Whatever they have done in the past.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Kim – I agree completely with all of that. £20k pw at his age and level of experience is a perfectly fair.
Sharpy17(Quote)
What’s Raheem Sterling inferring by saying Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell had to start at the bottom of managerial ladder but Lampard and Gerrard get to start higher? He’s basically saying the game is racist. I can’t think of a another industry with more black people than football. The % of black footballers is higher than the % of black people in the country.
Generally speaking owners would appoint Adolf Hitler if it meant getting promotion, staying up or winning the PL so I find it hard to believe they wouldn’t appoint someone due to their colour of skin.
Martin Samuel believes we should have a BAME person in every boardroom in football. Positive discrimination really is a dangerous road. It leads to resentment, lower quality and I’m pretty sure black people wouldn’t want a job just because they’re black. How would they feel?!
Government need to set up a dept which looks into perceived racism, actual racism, speak to BAME communities and dig deeper into their world to see why they have higher unemployment, why they’re often from single parent families, why they often live in poorer parts of the community, why they get involved in crime and then and only then can we start getting to the bottom of this.
Stuart79(Quote)
I agree with your last para Stuart but I don’t expect this lot to act properly on anything. It’s Dom ideas or nothing. I expect nothing.
Still think the takeover will happen only when we’re safe from Relegation. Beat Sheff United and it will be announced 😛
Eric the Aussies have always been good bloggers on here. Aussie in particular kept the site running during difficult days. Respect mate!
georgio(Quote)
I don’t agree. They only come on to moan. But I will give it a rest. Wont see either for a couple of months anyway.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stuart, mate. You are on a slippery slope with what you are saying here. Best not go any further.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – What you said is the perfect example of why it will be virtually impossible to solve this problem. Anybody who has a opposite view is branded racist, bigot or Nazi. Words to that effect. That means people don’t talk up and enter debate about it.
Black people cannot solve this problem on their own. Their movement needs to take white people with them. Asking people not go any further because it might offend people (even though it really isn’t offensive) is the prime example why many white people wont go with this movement. Calling people racists or bigots because they have a different view really isn’t the way to bring people with you – it’s a way to alienate people.
Nigel Farage was called a racist this morning on TV because he had the temerity to criticise the idiots who dragged the statue down and broke the law while at the same time letting people know about the positive things Colston but also not ignoring the terrible things he did which he obviously said were terrible.
Kind of sums up this country. The liberals will be one of the reasons we don’t solve this problem.
Stuart79(Quote)
Keep digging Stuart.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The takeover is coming along nicely now. I expect more rumours to the end of June, then some innuendo in July, some anger and resentment in August etc etc. But you never know, the Prem group in charge of our sale might decide to finally do their job some day…..
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Don’t give a ****, Eric. I’m surprised you if all people aren’t capable of interacting in sensible debate.
Stuart79(Quote)
Don’t be grumpy people! There’s so much to celebrate. Errm there’s the global pandemic, economic meltdown, failure to complete the takeover…… errm global warming…… plastic pollution everywhere especially in our oceans….. oh all right then, never mind!!
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Stuart: I am happy to talk to you about politics at another time. It is just all getting a bit out of control at the moment. But, just as a note to leave you with it is a bit much talking about people being able to be dragging themselves up by their bootstraps when the world is run by sons of privilege – Man Baby Trump, Eton Boy BJ and Mo Bin Salman
Eric Sykes(Quote)
At least Mo Bin had to compete with his bros and sisters to get to be the head of the family now. His dad had like 50 wives. That means 50 mother-in-laws. Allah be praised.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The idiots over here are giving Man Baby Trump a stick to beat them with (truncheon, baton, billy club) by talking about defunding the police.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I thought Raheem Sterling spoke very well and articulated his points in a very structured and factual manner – the stats certainly back up what he was saying.
The irony is that the same media that interview him are the same media he accused of reporting in a racist manner – they slaughtered him not long back.
But stats don’t always tell to full story. For example, he says Lamps and Gerrard got Chelsea and Rangers and Campbell is in the lower leagues – but did Campbell apply for the Chelsea or Rangers job? – I don’t know ??♂️ . If he didn’t then there’s your answer. If he did and didn’t get it – did they say it’s coz you’re black, or maybe it was just a white candidate interviewed better ??♂️. What you can say is that the PL is not made up solely of white English managers – how many black managers are there globally?.
I tell you, raising an 11 year old son isn’t easy through this time – racism, LGBT, #metoo .. and it all appears to be white middle class men to blame for it all ?.
My morals are simple and my message to my son is clear – there are 2 types of people – nice people and not so nice people. They all come in different shapes and sizes. Treat everyone with respect and surround yourself with nice people and avoid the not so nice ones and life should mainly be good ??♂️
Sharpy17(Quote)
I still have doubts about our takeover.
We have a cross party lobby of MP’s and Peers led by Lord Kinnock putting pressure on the Premier league to stop the Saudi purchase of NUFC.
One would think that this Country is desperate for NUFC to not be able to compete with the big boys.
sidekick(Quote)
i see that League One has made the decision to end the season now ,and on a points per game basis meaning that the Mackems have finished this season in 8th place .
A third season in League One is now confirmed .
sidekick(Quote)
Sidekick – sorry mate, do you realise that you are talking football on a political blog!! ??
Sharpy17(Quote)
They are pretty much Stuart Donald Ducked then arent they? I have been saying it for 3 years on here. He has no money. He mortgaged them to a Yank hedge fund.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
You are contributing to the politics discussion. Let’s not pretend you are not 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I wasn’t trying to ??♂️. There’s f@ck all football to talk about though is there? – unless you care about Spurs taking a loan or the Mackems staying in league one – but then I would be pretending.
Nowt much more important going on than the politics at the mo.
Once the PL starts up or the takeover happens though ??
Sharpy17(Quote)
Well here is another football post.
We came back from 0 – 2 to beat Middlesborough 3 – 2 in a friendly today.
Joelinton scored the winning goal.
sidekick(Quote)
Sidekick was I only joking in my previous post. I didn’t even know we had a friendly with Boro – but I think it’s a good idea to try and get a couple of games under our belt before the season starts again.
Can you imagine if Joelinton came back on fire ? cracked in 10 goals in the remaining games ?.
There’s a chance he could do better without the pressure of a stadium full of fans though.
Either way. 1 win and I think that’s us safe. I think 38 points will be enough.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy, think we’ll need more than 38, 40 hopefully enough.
kimtoon(Quote)
joelinton goal
https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/1270342243619090434/vid/1280×720/Hhjpdnwrp8RCOB6d.mp4?tag=13
kimtoon(Quote)
I would like us to get at least 2 wins and a draw from our remaining games.
I think Joelinton got his goal today because no one got within 2 metres of him. 😆
sidekick(Quote)
? some good has come of COVID then mate
Sharpy17(Quote)
Kim – I think the teams below us will have a slow start and ultimately run out of games. I want us to get more than 38, but I think 38 will be survival
Sharpy17(Quote)
There are many things going on (and probably more important than politics in many ways) if you like archaeology, economics, anthropology, and many more things. You could read about how Gobekli Tepe is confounding our views about neolithic hunter gatherers, how a few bones in Siberia are rewriting how we think human migration occurred, how modern monetary theory is providing a new lens for how we view economics (and why your government has been lying to you about austerity).
Maybe you could catch up with some debates about football tactics – modern and historical (recommend a book called Inverting the Pyramid if you want to go there) or latest images of the far end of the universe.
There are many things around. You don’t have to be guided by what you read in the papers or see on tv. Mainstream anything is full of ****.
If you want something lighter, something more encouraging to the human soul, go out and search for podcasts – that’s where you’ll find interesting things. These things are far more important to humanity than the thin film of beige that the media packages for mass consumption.
Politics is interesting, and important, but if all you are exposed to is what you see on tv and read in papers then you’ll be forever kept in the dark. “A newspaper is a device for making the ignorant more ignorant and the crazy crazier.” TV as well, probably more so. Just look at what it has done to Stu. Break free, mate, break free.
Brisvegas(Quote)
Bris – I am a big fan of Graham Hancock thanks for asking, so probably know more about the History of the Amazon, Gobleki Tepe, but it’s the Mayan history that grabbed my interest having visited Chichen Itza. That time in history fascinates me, and I still have a lot to learn on in.
But if you came on and conversed with me you’d find that out and maybe I’d find stuff out about you too ??♂️.
My comment was there’s not much more important GOING on, and I maintain that. This is a period/year that will go down in history, why would I ignore it reading up on history?.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Bris – the blokes name is Graham Hanc0ck ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Bris – it should also read know more about the history than you give me credit for. I wouldn’t presume to know more than you coz like I say, I still have a lot to learn. I have many interests outside of this blog and NUFC. I love the oceans and learning about them too. The history of the Caribbean and I love the history and mystery of Oak Island – there are many other things, but I’m not setting up an online dating profile here so won’t bore you with them all ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Thanks Sharpy! I can’t wait for football to return to this blog. That’s the only reason I come on here.
georgio(Quote)
I agree, Sharpy. Raising a child today is virtually impossible. Iain Lee got pulled up on using the phrase “person of colour” this morning by a black person. White people have literally no idea what they can and can’t say these days. How have we got to this? Trevor Philips who i think is eminently sensible and speaks a lot of sense referred to “people of colour” so what’s the reality here? What do we do or say?
Little Britain now taken off IPlayer and Netflix ffs! WTF?! Why can’t people just not watch something that offends them? Why does it need to be taken off so the majority can’t watch it?
I say again, these actions are going to have the opposite effect that they actually want.
Stuart79(Quote)
Little Britain should be taken off all media because it sorta wasnt funny. Repeating the same “joke” every episode until you were bored out of your skull.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The “only gay in the village” skit or the guy getting out of the wheelchair was mildly amusing the 1st time they did it. After doing almost exactly the same thing week after week, it really got tedious beyond belief.
I say, ban Little Britain from all media.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Actually, Sharpy, I knew you were interested in Graham Han-(manspiece). You’ve mentioned him before. And you’ve mentioned your trip to S. America before. Which is why I chose archaeology as an example subject. You’ve also mentioned your interest in football tactics, which is why I mentioned that as well.
Hancock has a great story. I think I’ve read just about all his books. He’s entertaining enough, as long as you suspend disbelief. Kind of like sci fi but with a bit of pseudo science. Could we call it science faction, perhaps? You might like Zecharia Sitchin books. He does a lot of Mayan mythology in his later books – though he’s mostly Sumerian and maybe a bit too ancient alien.
I’m so glad you have interests other than this blog. I’m happy for you, mate.
Brisvegas(Quote)
Bris – I’m a fan of Hanc0ck, but remain open minded about it all. I’m sure with things like lidar technology we may find out one day but there is still a lot to learn. I can’t say I buy into alien intervention at all though – a bit far fetched for me.
It’s a fascinating period in time though.
I watched a good documentary on the Black Sea the other day and how it used to be a Great Lake. They sent ROVs to the bottom and found Ancient Greek and Roman ship still practically perfectly in tact.
Good to know you have a similar interest in these things mate ??
Sharpy17(Quote)
The death of comedy and of life as we know it.
HBO have taken Gone With the Wind off their play list. Jesus Christ! What is going on?!!!
Stuart79(Quote)
Eric, the whole point of comedy is that it’s subjective and yes, it offends. But isn’t that comedy? If we took down every statue, every tv show and film in history because it offended some people we’d be left with zero.
People need to get a life.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu – I disagree about Little Britain. I think the time has come to stop turning a blind eye, and shows like that were designed to be humorous by their offence – it’s lazy comedy imo, but their catchphrases catch on. I’m not suggesting Lucas or Williams are racist – just happy to offend in the name of ‘comedy’.
I think Iain Lee is different again though. I think he’s been naive in not knowing what is acceptable terminology and what’s not – and it’s a bit of a minefield. But he works in media and has a responsibility to educate himself, particularly if he is going to talk about these things on air.
My felling always used to be that a comment could only be offensive or insulting based on the intent – but I’m not so sure. I think that may be true in a lot of cases, but can also be a convenient excuse in some cases.
Sharpy17(Quote)
We’re getting a real insight into your viewing pleasures here mind Stu – little Britain and gone with the wind.
I like today on here, we are sharing a lot today ???
Sharpy17(Quote)
The point of comedy is to be funny. Little Britain was mildly amusing at best and extremely repetitive. It became like watching a man peal 10 sacks of potatoes. I would watch it occasionally just to see if they had any new material and they never did. Ban it from all media.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Little Britain never offended me at all. I just found it repetitive and boring. A bit like I am getting about describing it now. Or full stop, as BrisV would say about me.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Little Britain was relatively funny. It wouldn’t bother me if I never saw it again but to take it off because it might offend black people?! Come on! What about the only gay in the village? What about Vicki Pollard. Why don’t they think they should take it off for offence caused to gay people or working class chavs?
The fact is it should be allowed to be viewed by anybody who wants to view it. If it offends don’t watch it.
We are trying rewrite history and literally airbrush everything from the last out of today by judging them by today’s standards and morals. But my main issue / this is all in the name of black people. Most black people don’t give a **** either – it’s the knobs who have nothing better to do.
Stuart79(Quote)
The fact is that virtually everything can cause offence to someone. It’s life. Why all of a sudden have we become a country that can’t offend anybody? Since when did anybody have the right to not be offended by something?
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart:
I don’t think you are getting what I am saying.
I am saying that Litttle Britain is just NOT FUNNY.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I’m just reading up on the next statues they want to topple in the NE. Armstrong’s statue is on there because he sold arms to both sides of the American civil war – apparently that means he supported racism.
Greys momentum is on the list – he was prime minister when slavery was ABOLISHED in this Country – but because he compensated the slave owners he must be a racist.
I’m interested in the Aussie opinion of the 3rd – James Cook. How is he seen out there?.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Stu – it is nuts to stop showing gone with the wind like. It was based around a lot of research and content taken from diaries of those who lived through it.
I take it they will stop showing 12 years a slave – or is that acceptable because it was a black director.
Will they stop showing Spartacus or Gladiator – or because they were white slaves it’s ok.
Sharpy17(Quote)
12 Years a Slave is about the single most depressing movie I have seen in my life. Can they ban it please?
There are other movies about incredibly dark subjects like The Great Escape. The Outlaw Josie Wales. But 12 Years a Slave wanted me to watch more episodes of Little Britain it was that depressing.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sharpy – You’re starting to get the gist. Where does this stop?
But in answer to your questions – almost certainly they won’t mention films or statues that involve white slaves or so called offensive to white people. We are heading to hell in a hand cart and I guarantee it won’t solve the problem Black people are desperate to solve. It will make the whole thing ten times worse.
Stuart79(Quote)
I noticed this morning one protestor was saying Churchill statue should be Gone too. When asked about Nelson Mandela he completely overlooked his career as a terrorist. See the problem? It’s all one way… I also notice Gandhi isn’t on their list – even though he had a liking for young girls…
Stuart79(Quote)
League Of Gentleman has now been pulled. Was **** but principle of this is a joke.
Can we expect True Identity when Lenny Henry “whited up” to be pulled? Or Trading Places when Eddie Murphy whites up to play a white Jew? Very unlikely…
Stuart79(Quote)
Statues are just statues as far as I’m concerned. They all become Ozymandias at some time or other. The kerfuffle about destroying them is all just media-led moral panic. It’s a well-known phenomenon. It lasts about as long as the next news cycle.
Australia has one of the worst indigenous human rights records on the planet. Per head of population we are worse than America for incarceration. But ask anybody who is ingrained in popular culture here and they’ll tell you how open and free we are. It’s all bullshit. Mainstream thinking in the West is full of it. If we lived in China we’d call it propaganda.
There are bigger fights to have than worrying about what a statue is, does or represents. And you’ll find that anybody with any degree of real activism in the area couldn’t give a **** about statues. It’s real lives and the lives of families that are important.
Brisvegas(Quote)
Robert Baden Powell statue the next to be taken down. Already gone.
Does taking all these statues down and pulling all these films and tv shows mean non of the bad things in history every happened? Bloody hell! They should have said. Would have made life a lot easier for the millions who died over the centuries from bad people.
Stuart79(Quote)
I have no problem with them taking all statues down as long as it’s done properly. Put them in a museum and those who want to see them can pay to do so. I’m just very much against mobs ripping things down.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I keep thinking about NUFC starting up again to finish the season and the sad fact is that I just don’t really care. I think that’s largely due to how the season has went before now. It’s been totally uninspiring.
I’m certain we will stay in the PL, we only need 5 points tops imo and enough games to get them.
I’m looking forward to watching the games again, but something desperately needs to change at NUFC to get me interested again let alone excited.
Sharpy17(Quote)
All statues?
That will include Bobby Robson , Alan Shearer and Bob Stokoe then.
There is a good one of Brian Clough in Nottingham – yeah, let’s pull them all down.
sidekick(Quote)
Sidekick – all of the statues on the list of contentious statues – I obviously didn’t make that crystal clear.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy – I am sorry if you think I have misunderstood your post.
The statue thing is just ridiculous.
I am simply saying that Towns and Cities erect statues of local people that they are proud of.
It is just sad that years later we have daft militant groups that find some fault and demand the removal of those statues.
sidekick(Quote)
Whoever the “source” is on Olly’s latest article about NUFC and FFP is just plain wrong. We are pretty much going to have an open cheque book if the Saudi’s want to spend. Why – oh wise and wonderful Eric Sykes?
1. They are going to change FFP rules because the mega-clubs are making massive losses due to CV-19. The rule is that you cannot make a more than 105 million loss in a 5 year period. You are guaranteed that Barca and Man U and even Bayern will do that so you cant ban them all from Europe.
2. The plan should we be taken over will be to build up our commercial side. That can be done pretty quickly if Saudi companies want to invest and raise their profile or if we can get already high profile companies to sponsor us. NO MORE FUN88. That will keep us within even the current FFP rules. That is not even counting the shirt deals. Nike are giving Liverpool 65 million a year and we get a miniscule fraction of that.
3. We can get players at reduced prices now because nobody has any money. I dont think we have to buy Coutinho, we can loan him and free up cash for other players.
And other reasons… but nobody wants me to give another speech on why these “financial gurus” are mostly idiots.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
FFP is no more than a 105 million loss over 3 years. Sorry for my error.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I agree, Sidekick. It really is a joke that actions are being taken to appease a minority. But what pisses me off more is that people are judging these historical figures by today’s standards. It’s ridiculous. The railways and tunnels were built in horrendous conditions and resulted in many deaths (many Irish) so does that mean we should knock them all down and rebuild them? Or what about the pyramids or the Roman wall up here? Built by slaves so should we knock it down?
Stuart79(Quote)
Reading between the 20m lines I’ve read on the takeover I think the deal is completely done. However the reports claiming an announcement by the end of June sound right to me too. That’ll be after we’ve played a few games and presumably avoided relegation.
On statues I wouldn’t mind a few coming down. The ones of Shearer and SBR are appalling quality. The so called sculptor should stick to crayons.
georgio(Quote)
The inbetweeners is the next on the virtue signallers list…
Stuart79(Quote)
Sidekick – I’m not calling for them to be taken down, but at the same time I can’t say I’m passionate about them staying in place.
I think the sad truth is that there will be a great many people born and raised in the NE who wouldn’t know who William George Armstrong is or Charles Grey for that matter – and if you said Earl Grey, they say ‘the tea fella?’.
Maybe when the statues were erected the people were proud – though I’m not even sure of that. I dare bet most people had no say in the statues going up or not.
I’ve visited both Cragside and Howick Hall and found out about the life and times of both – and my son loved Cragside in particular – it’s one of my wife’s favourite places.
But none of us were taught about either in school – and we were born and raised in the NE.
It’s a shame local history isn’t taught in schools.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Totally agree on the quality of the statues.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Also, Georgio. I said a week or more ago that I think the PL are waiting for a smokescreen of renewed football before they announce what they are doing with NUFC. Merseyside derby on June 21 is ideal. Plus there will be wall to wall football on that weekend.
Eric Sykes(Quote)