@yourservice 67 Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 (edited) Newcastle United chairman Freddy Shepherd last night launched a stark ultimatum to major shareholder Sir John Hall... Back us or bail out, because the future of the club is in your hands.With Hall thwarted in his attempts to sell his family's 41.6 per cent stake in United to two would-be buyers, Shepherd is demanding he now comes clean on his future plans. He wants an end to the uncertainty which he says has made it "impossible" for him to run the club, affected Glenn Roeder's transfer plans and cost United an estimated £1m-plus. Hall invited a Toon takeover from the Belgravia Group and American investment fund Polygon, but both have withdrawn their interest in the club. Jersey-based Belgravia backed off soon after the Sunday Sun exposed the controversial investments of its sister company in Gibraltar, while Shepherd told them to "put up or shut up". Shepherd, who succeeded Hall as chairman in 1998, also revealed he could launch a takeover bid himself . . . if the price is right. He said: "Sir John Hall has to decide what his role in the club is. He has to decide whether he wants to stick or sell. For the sake of the club, the shareholders and supporters, Sir John must decide quickly what he's going to do and make his position public. "We can't allow this uncertainty and speculation to continue for another 12 months. The business must go forward, whether it is with me, Sir John, or someone else. "The uncertainty is making it hard for me to run the club, and I'm not prepared to put up with it." That uncertainty has lasted since June, when Belgravia first expressed an outline interest in a takeover, and is blamed by Shepherd for Newcastle's patchy form this season and lack of transfer activity. He said: "The offer period has been damaging and difficult for everyone at the club. The manager, the coaches, the players and our administrative staff have been left wondering whether they would have jobs when it was all over. "All I'm asking of him is a clear decision. I want him to be honest with me and the supporters. "Our fans read that Belgravia were going to put £24m in for new players in January. That created problems by raising fans' expectations and causes clubs to raise their prices when we ask them about players. "When you are a plc under offer, there are certain rules that must be adhered to which mean you must be very careful on expenditure. That has affected our ability to compete in the transfer market this season." But Shepherd, whose own stake in United stands at 28 per cent, admitted: "I would consider buying the Halls' shares at the correct price. "I have shown my commitment to Newcastle by buying shares in the club and I have never sold a share. "I can't prevent Sir John selling the shares he controls, but I'm not going to let any would-be buyer take the Mickey out of this club or its supporters." Hold it right there fatty. Edited January 21, 2007 by @yourservice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut 9 Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 What exactly does Hall do now? He's the majority shareholder yet brings f*ck all to the table. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howaythetoon 0 Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 Deflecting blame onto others for his role in the unsuccessful takeover and now trying to get fans on his side presumably for his own full takeover bid. It wasn't the Halls who were wanting mega money for their shares, it was Shepherd. God help us if this man ever gets full control of the club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut 9 Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 Well perhaps as major shareholders, the Hall's can actually do something and deflect a bit of the blame from Shepherd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asteroidblitz 12 Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 "Our fans read that Belgravia were going to put £24m in for new players in January. That created problems by raising fans' expectations and causes clubs to raise their prices when we ask them about players. "When you are a plc under offer, there are certain rules that must be adhered to which mean you must be very careful on expenditure. That has affected our ability to compete in the transfer market this season." So that's it then. Fatty says we're buying nobody in the window. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 In all honestly John Hall doesn't do much now but take a nice dividend, but retains control of some major decisions, he seems to have lost any real interest in NUFC long ago. His son Feckless Hall has always been nothing but a leeching parasite and frankly I'd rather have some purely amoral investment company hold his shares than that waste of space.... and frankly he make FFS look appealing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazarus 0 Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 "Our fans read that Belgravia were going to put £24m in for new players in January. That created problems by raising fans' expectations and causes clubs to raise their prices when we ask them about players. "When you are a plc under offer, there are certain rules that must be adhered to which mean you must be very careful on expenditure. That has affected our ability to compete in the transfer market this season." So that's it then. Fatty says we're buying nobody in the window. that was my interpretation of the statement too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ketsbaia 0 Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 What exactly does Hall do now? He's the majority shareholder yet brings f*ck all to the table. We all know he does fuck all now bar the occasional comment in the press when Fat Fred's under pressure. Lets not forget he has been trying to sell his shares for the best part of two years now too. It's quite obvious he wants out. Neither of the two are exactly the most saintly figures but if this is going to turn into a war of words between Fat Fred and SJH then i'm firmly in the SJH camp, mainly because the idea of Newcastle being owned by Fat Fred scares the shite out of me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 0 Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 (edited) Can't see how Shep could buy out the Halls unless he took on a load of debt and saddled it onto the clubs books, which would be a worse situation than the current standoff. Edited January 21, 2007 by Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Invicta_Toon 0 Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 everything FF has done has been with the tacit approval of sir John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ketsbaia 0 Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 everything FF has done has been with the tacit approval of sir John I find that rather difficult to believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.../\......\o/... 0 Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 everything FF has done has been with the tacit approval of sir John I find that rather difficult to believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smudger 0 Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 everything FF has done has been with the tacit approval of sir John I find that rather difficult to believe. Excellent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Carr's Gloves 3279 Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 Shepherd wants full control of the club but knows the fans quite rightly hate him. He is trying to deflect that onto SJH to get us off his back. SJH should retalliate and organise an EGM and sack FFS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missed Sticks 0 Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 Shepherd wants full control of the club but knows the fans quite rightly hate him. He is trying to deflect that onto SJH to get us off his back. SJH should retalliate and organise an EGM and sack FFS I'm not really sure that SJH has any interest in running the club though, and if had a better idea for a Chairman he could have voted FS out and brung his new man in. Imagine if SJH voted FS off and then appointed Douggie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Carr's Gloves 3279 Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 Shepherd wants full control of the club but knows the fans quite rightly hate him. He is trying to deflect that onto SJH to get us off his back. SJH should retalliate and organise an EGM and sack FFS I'm not really sure that SJH has any interest in running the club though, and if had a better idea for a Chairman he could have voted FS out and brung his new man in. Imagine if SJH voted FS off and then appointed Douggie First step to selling. Do you think FFS would be so keen to keep his shares if he didn't control the club? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 35460 Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 Chairman of PLC grants interview with tabloid to bicker with another board member about the future of the company. Professionalism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 everything FF has done has been with the tacit approval of sir John I love it when opinion is posted as fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinofbeans 87 Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 Chairman of PLC grants interview with tabloid to bicker with another board member about the future of the company. Professionalism. quoted for truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gloom 20139 Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 why is he still here? the fat fuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JawD 31 Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 everything FF has done has been with the tacit approval of sir John I love it when opinion is posted as fact. Most of the "facts" in this thread tbh None of us know for sure which way the truth runs. FS suggests his hands are tied while the clubs future is sorted, there will be an element of truth in that. He also suggest it has been SJH flogging the club around causing the unsettlement. Im not one to back FS, but I can understand some of what he says. This said, as Gemmil points out, running to the Mirror with this seems an odd step to take. I reckon he's trying to ease the pressure and fans will only point at him. But why the mirror? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammynb 2934 Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 But why the mirror? Bet they offered the most for the exclusive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Invicta_Toon 0 Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 everything FF has done has been with the tacit approval of sir John I love it when opinion is posted as fact. right, so the man with 28% tells the man with 40% how he is going to run the club, man with 40% says not that way you're not, man with 28% says fuck you I'm doing it anyway, man with 40% says, oh right OK then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ketsbaia 0 Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 everything FF has done has been with the tacit approval of sir John I love it when opinion is posted as fact. right, so the man with 28% tells the man with 40% how he is going to run the club, man with 40% says not that way you're not, man with 28% says fuck you I'm doing it anyway, man with 40% says, oh right OK then If you think it's that simple it shows how little you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChezGiven 0 Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 everything FF has done has been with the tacit approval of sir John I love it when opinion is posted as fact. He also suggest it has been SJH flogging the club around causing the unsettlement. But why the mirror? Implying presumably the Halls who have not been able to settle the deal too. However, it seems cynical to come out now and say it. The club has just closed negotiations in recent weeks, FS wants to come out and say what his plan is as he seems to be the one in charge. Not the other way round if you ask me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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