StevieRoss

Lads, this is Newcastle United not Liverpool. This is not a team that's being assembled to try to win the Premier league or even make a tilt at at spot in Europe. This is a business enterprise owned by Mike Ashley. He doesn't give a fuck about the club winning things or its fans being happy with the Summer signings. Reducing the running costs and staying in the PL is what it's about. We are the Sports Direct of football clubs. Get used to it.

Apparently his 1m release is worded similar to Phi Jones, and Swansea say it only allow us to talk to him. Not happening now. Dont quite understand whats went on here. One minute its about to be confirmed then theres dispute about the release clause and now Swansea have officially said he is staying and play a big part for them. Not arsed really. I dont like the welsh. Taffs from Cardiff are fine. The jacks are mutants, like welsh mackems.

don't see the point in owning a club / buying a club in the first place and not doing that a bit. I suspect he now wonders what the point in owner the club / buying the club is though. Beyond making us a sellable asset in a healthier financial climate. This seems so evident in everything that's happening now (and has been) I don't know why anyone would even bother arguing to the contrary...

"A club like NUFC should ALWAYS be looking to compete with the likes of Liverpool and Spurs rather than Bolton and Blackburn." A noble sentiment, but one which will lead to eternal disappointment I fear. There just hasn't been enough tangible achievement in the last well, 50 years, to support a claim that we are entitled to expect anything remotely like the results of Liverpool, and, realistically, Spurs for that matter. Yes we've been in the CL, yes we draw big home crowds, but we are ultimately a "provincial" club without the appeal of the northern super-clubs or the allure of a London lifestyle. What's going to change? A billionaire owner hasn't helped. Mediocrity is our station - such is life.

"In fact I'll go further and say that last season - unless his transfer policy [aye the subject of this thread] dramatically and unexpectedly changes - may be the highest we ever finish while he owns it. If we ever do better, it will only be a blip and it won't be by much. We will NEVER qualify for europe through league position, nailed on. " LM Agreed. It's obvious that Ashley is never going to go on a Chelsea/Man City (or even Liverpool) type spending spree, so we won't be "buying" our way into Europe. But he has to invest enough into the squad to avoid relegation. So this Summer is all about shoring up a mid-table position while reducing the wages bill and hoping to turn up another Carroll-type windfall to sell on. So older, high earners go. And that's maybe not a bad thing altogether...

My sister is a driver for the players at the Australian Open, and the only player she's ever complained about is Murray. He is a complete tool according to her.

Not that we'd really get Sturridge for 10 mill tbh. Anelka's 32, Drogba's 33, why wouldn't they just hold on to him and see if he can step into their shoes? They don't need the money.

I'd love to see him end up at Liverpool. Can someone else say "or Swansea" please. It's too cheap for me...

Maybe he could try his luck in one of those Scandinavian countries. He might make a career in Denmark, .or Sweden, or Finland...boom..boom.I got more..

Good luck to him wherever he finishes up. Nobody wants to see him go to a new club and flounder like he did here.

10 mill for Sturridge...12 mill for the little prat, according to this. Hey, I'd go for Sturridge...

But surely you couldn't call Macdonald's contribution "useless"? He scored at a goal every other game for five years, and it was his speed that was his greatest weapon.

He'll do better against Championship forwards and who knows, he might find the back of the net himself now and again...

It's been a battle for the lad. He must have felt like he was swimming upstream the whole time he was here..

It's pretty clear nobody's gutted to see him go..

A good move for him back to the Championship where he'll be a bigger fish in a smaller pond.

Missing out on this bloke might spur Liverpool to seriously bid on N'Zogbia. Would love it, just love it to see them blow 12 mill or whatever on that waste of space.

A poor signing, like Best and Campbell and Routledge, and probably eventually a nail in Hughton's coffin.

Looks a bit light-weight at times. Struggles with physically strong Premiership forwards. Would only be of interest to a continental club I'd think.

It's clear the squad as it was lacked pace, esp. a midfield with Barton, Nolan and Tiote. That's why I'm not really unhappy to see Nolan go. I prefer the other two.

Ridiculous a club our size hasn't been able to produce a good one through the ranks for what - 15 years or more?

Looks like he can beat a man and can put in a good cross. Unusual that, for a Newcastle winger...

Leave this bloke alone. I like him because he's not a fucking Liverpool supporter..

I think we're all on the same page. Basically a donkey and a poor signing by Hughton. Good time to offer him around while his goal to game ratio from last season (a flash in the pan probably) is still fresh in people's minds.

Barton will get it after his tweets, just not the captaincy. I wouldn't be surprised if they take a cut price offer to move him on, just to shut his mouth and get his wages off the bill. Hard to see the Fenham Pele getting the captaincy as he's rarely fit. I bet Pardoo hasn't got a clue who will be in his squad on 1 August, I'd bet my house he wasn't consulted on Nolan's transfer and probably won't be on any other outgoings either. It seems to me he's just a coach but he's desperate to sound like a real manager in the press. Clearly it looks bad to have a manager who has as little influence on the big picture at the club as it seems Pardew does. So he'll be be put in front of the media with a script to regurgitate the party line on all these contract issues and "appear" to have some semblance of control. He was obviously hand-picked by Ashley for his qualities of being a completely sycophantic yes-man, while coming across as quite plausible and capable to the media and the general public.