Journal survey on the state of NUFC

[HelenD 0]

THE Journal has launched a major survey of Newcastle fans on the latest situation at St James's Park.

 

We are aiming to provide the definitive gauge of public opinion about the remarkable events of the last week - and where they leave the club.

 

All you have to do is go to www.journallive.co.uk and click on the link on the homepage which takes you straight through to the survey.

 

There you'll be able to answer questions on Ashley's tenure at the club. Should Keegan have quit? Will you protest? Who is to blame?

 

We hope to build up a complete picture of what the supporters think of the state they're in.

 

So go to www.journallive.co.uk to have your say on perhaps the most tumultuous week in Newcastle United's history.

[snakehips 0]

THE Journal has launched a major survey of Newcastle fans on the latest situation at St James's Park.

 

We are aiming to provide the definitive gauge of public opinion about the remarkable events of the last week - and where they leave the club.

 

All you have to do is go to www.journallive.co.uk and click on the link on the homepage which takes you straight through to the survey.

 

There you'll be able to answer questions on Ashley's tenure at the club. Should Keegan have quit? Will you protest? Who is to blame?

 

We hope to build up a complete picture of what the supporters think of the state they're in.

 

So go to www.journallive.co.uk to have your say on perhaps the most tumultuous week in Newcastle United's history.

 

Give me your phone number, Helen, and I may do the survey

[Guest alex]

[trophyshy 6434]

THE Journal has launched a major survey of Newcastle fans on the latest situation at St James's Park.

 

We are aiming to provide the definitive gauge of public opinion about the remarkable events of the last week - and where they leave the club.

 

All you have to do is go to www.journallive.co.uk and click on the link on the homepage which takes you straight through to the survey.

 

There you'll be able to answer questions on Ashley's tenure at the club. Should Keegan have quit? Will you protest? Who is to blame?

 

We hope to build up a complete picture of what the supporters think of the state they're in.

 

So go to www.journallive.co.uk to have your say on perhaps the most tumultuous week in Newcastle United's history.

 

Give me your phone number, Helen, and I may do the survey

 

[Snake 0]

no messing

[Guest Stevie]

Would you rather have Freddie Shepherd than Mike Ashley? I feel so bad right now I clicked yes.

[Tom 13846]

I'm going give it a shot.

 

It would be nice if the people doing the survey could put Toontastic.net in there somewhere too

[Jusoda Kid 1]

Would you rather have Freddie Shepherd than Mike Ashley? I feel so bad right now I clicked yes.

 

I did then un-clicked it and made some comments in the box below.

[Guest alex]

Would you rather have Freddie Shepherd than Mike Ashley? I feel so bad right now I clicked yes.

 

I did then un-clicked it and made some comments in the box below.

Same here.

[snakehips 0]

I'm going give it a shot.

 

It would be nice if the people doing the survey could put Toontastic.net in there somewhere too

 

I have no intention of doing the survey because as soon as sunlun fans get involved the whole exercise will become a joke.

 

I guess by your post that other websites are mentioned? If toontastic is not, then the persons who formulated the survey haven't got a clue, as toontastic has the most intelligent posters of any message site about NUFC. I don't include myself in this, before you ask, but I honestly believe that some of the posters on here are far and away superior in their knowledge and common sense than other boards.

[Park Life 70]

Would you rather have Freddie Shepherd than Mike Ashley? I feel so bad right now I clicked yes.

[Jill 0]

Done. Had to make a few comments to explain myself though as the options were very clear cut whereas I like to sit on the fence.

[Happy Face 29]

Would you rather have Freddie Shepherd than Mike Ashley? I feel so bad right now I clicked yes.

 

Both both big bears of men. Not my scene.

[Wavey Davey 0]

Do you think Sunderland are now a better run club than Newcastle?

 

I said no, because when the shit hits the fan I think it could go very sour for them.

 

Cheers for rubbing their upturn in fortune in my face though, Journal.

[ChezGiven 0]

Would you rather have Freddie Shepherd than Mike Ashley? I feel so bad right now I clicked yes.

Our destiny is to sing 'sack the board' perpetually.

[Happy Face 29]

Do you think Sunderland are now a better run club than Newcastle?

 

I said no, because when the shit hits the fan I think it could go very sour for them.

 

Almost £80M spent on a team geared for survival without unloading any of the existing overpaid earners brought in last year, and only 39K crowds to cover the expense.

 

Their bubble is going to burst soon enough.

Edited September 8, 2008 by Happy Face

[Tom 13846]

1. Who do you think is to blame for the current state of affairs at NUFC?

 

Mike Ashley.

 

At the end of the day the buck stops with Mike Ashley as he appointed Derek Llambias - a man with no previous experience in professional football. Nobody seems to know quite what is going on in regards to Dennis Wise as the club have contradicted themselves several times regarding that matter.

 

2. Were you pleased when Mike Ashley took over last year?

I didn't think it was possible for a football club - especially a great football club like Newcastle United could function any worse than it was functioning under the guidance of Freddy Shepherd but low and behold Mike Ashley has pipped him to the post.

 

I will initially excited at the prospect of the club being run properly however the club seems to be all over the shop. The Club haven't spent on transfers and a low budget was provided for Kevin Keegan - who didn't even appear to be in charge of it.

 

The current regime need to realise that football isn't like any other business and even the greatest teams are in debt. European and English Champions Manchester United are in debt and despite Roman's billions so are Chelsea. I would have expected a business man of Ashley's calibre to understand the difference between ''good debt'' and ''bad debt''

 

3. How do you think Newcastle stand now compared to when Mike Ashley took over?

 

Much Worse

Newcastle as a regime are a mess. The one thing that Newcastle have always had despite everything the fans have been put through over and over again is the support. The last four years have been terrible for the club with only one manager since Sir Bobby Robson lasting a full season and the fans still turned up.

 

With boycotts planned for Saturday's match we will see where we stand.

 

4. Would you take Freddie Shepherd over Mike Ashley?

 

Yes

I wish Ashley had never arrived at Newcastle United as it has been yet another false dawn for the club. We have basically exchanged one useless fat man for another.

 

5. How can Mike Ashley redeem himself in the eyes of the Newcastle fans?

 

Sell the club.

 

Ashley should go back to a business he knows something about. However Ashley should take care to sell to a responsible owner who understands the ethics of football who will maintain the dignity and respect that should be present at Newcastle United, failing that a mental multi-billionaire will do.

 

6. Did you agree with Keegan's appointment as manager?

 

No.

 

I knew from the start that it would end in tears - I recall vividly, I looked to the screen and said 'this is going to end in tears'. I was very happy to have Keegan back and despite Ashley and his London Mafia doing their best to hinder it, Keegan was doing a fantastic job.

 

7. Are you happy that Keegan has gone?

 

No.

What a silly question. I am devastated that Keegan has left us but I believe in his reasons for doing so. It appears that a smear campaign has been launched against Keegan but I will not believe a word of it.

 

8. Did you agree that he had no other option than to quit?

 

No.

 

I think Keegan could have stuck it out but he is a man of pride and he made that clear.

 

9. Are you considering protesting against the club?

 

Yes.

 

10. How would you protest? (You can tick more than one box.)

 

Boycott Sports Direct and other stores owned by Ashley.

 

11. Do you think Sunderland are now a better run club than Newcastle?

 

No

 

Sunderland will never be better run than Newcastle - it's almost an impossibility. They seem to have spent a lot of money and brought in ''names'' but that means nothing. So long as they keep giving Roy Keane money to throw down the drain all will be well as that kind of spending can not be sustained at Sunderland if no end product is reached.

 

12. Do you think Newcastle are now a laughing stock?

 

Yes.

 

13. Should the current management structure of the club be changed?

Yes

 

Well it depends on who is brought in as Keegan's replacement. The three tier system works in Spain, however anybody taking the Newcastle job at the minute should be sectioned under the mental health act (1983)

 

14.Do you think the club in being run from London?

 

I think the club is being run terribly, so geographical location is of little consequence. I wouldn't care if they were running the club from the moon if we could see some success.

 

15.Do you think the situation is symtomatic to the way football is going?

 

Yes

 

Football is lost in it's own reverie and has alienated the people that made it - the fans.

[Happy Face 29]

I think the club is being run terribly, so geographical location is of little consequence. I wouldn't care if they were running the club from the moon if we could see some success.

 

 

I went with Timbuctoo myself.

[ChezGiven 0]

"The ethics of football.....maintaining dignity and respect"

 

People have lost it.

[Tom 13846]

I think the club is being run terribly, so geographical location is of little consequence. I wouldn't care if they were running the club from the moon if we could see some success.

 

 

I went with Timbuctoo myself.

 

Hopefully the Journal will give me a job.

[TheMoog 0]

I'm going give it a shot.

 

It would be nice if the people doing the survey could put Toontastic.net in there somewhere too

 

I have no intention of doing the survey because as soon as sunlun fans get involved the whole exercise will become a joke.

 

 

See that's the thing, a public survey means that it's open to abuse by other team's fans and so won't give an accurate reflection of the general opinion. I've filled the survey in myself but I don't doubt for every answer I gave there will be some fuckwit from another team making things up to muddy the waters.

[Park Life 70]

"The ethics of football.....maintaining dignity and respect"

 

People have lost it.

 

[wykikitoon 16640]

Tumult

 

Oh my god, someone has said this once and every fucker is using the word now!!!

[bobbyshinton 59]

I'm going give it a shot.

 

It would be nice if the people doing the survey could put Toontastic.net in there somewhere too

 

I have no intention of doing the survey because as soon as sunlun fans get involved the whole exercise will become a joke.

 

I guess by your post that other websites are mentioned? If toontastic is not, then the persons who formulated the survey haven't got a clue, as toontastic has the most intelligent posters of any message site about NUFC. I don't include myself in this, before you ask, but I honestly believe that some of the posters on here are far and away superior in their knowledge and common sense than other boards.

 

 

Thanks

[Craig 6306]

1. Who do you think is to blame for the current state of affairs at NUFC?

 

Mike Ashley

 

The buck stops with Ashley. Whether he is directly or indirectly responsible for what has gone on, he owns the club and therefore had the influence to change matters. He decided not to and therefore HAS to be fully responsible.

 

2. Were you pleased when Mike Ashley took over last year?

 

Yes

 

Of course - we'd had a succession of bad appointments under Freddie Shepherd which had taken the club into decline. I felt Shepherd's heart wasn't really in it any more and was happy to hand it over to someone else. The Halls were happy to sell and I think they would have done their homework. The fact that Ashley kept his hand close to his chest was refreshing and appealing but with hindsight, has been to our disadvantage.

 

3. How do you think Newcastle stand now compared to when Mike Ashley took over?

 

Worse

 

Worse but in a different sort of way. Before we were owned by someone who was passionate about the club but not very business savvy. It appears that these characteristics have reversed and I think that is to our downfall as a club with the only positive being to Ashley's pocket. The current dis-content will soon start to affect that though.

 

4. Would you take Freddie Shepherd over Mike Ashley?

 

Yes

 

I never thought I'd say it but yes I would. I'd rather have someone who saw it from the fans perspective rather than someone who didn't seem to give a damn what they think.

 

5. How can Mike Ashley redeem himself in the eyes of the Newcastle fans?

 

He can't

 

Even if he sells, he'll never be viewed favourably by the fans of Newcastle United ever again. It's acknowledged that he's sorted us out financially but that positive has been more than cancelled out by the shambolic mess he's got us into since Sam Allardyce left. I think he's totally underestimated the level of feeling Newcastle United fans have for the club.

 

6. Did you agree with Keegan's appointment as manager?

 

Yes

 

We were in decline, the playing staff was inferior to what it was 5 years previously. To improve the squad, we needed someone to be able to attract decent players but the catch 22 situation was that to attact a decent manager, we needed a decent squad. Keegan's love for the club meant that the vicious circle could be broken so yes I was happy to see him return. I was under no illusion that he'd immediately return us the Premiership title like some of the tabloids would have you believe though.

 

7. Are you happy that Keegan has gone?

 

No

 

Absolutely no.. but it is more to do with the shambles that is left behind than anything else. I'm more concerned about Mike Ashley and his team still running my football club than the fact that Keegan is no longer the manager.

 

8. Did you agree that he had no other option than to quit?

 

Yes

 

He's a man of principle, they'd given him a job title of 'manager' yet all they wanted him to do was coach. How can you manage when you have no idea who your staff may be from one day to the next? His resignation was further justified by the statements released from the club in which they directly contradicted what they'd said previously.

 

9. Are you considering protesting against the club?

 

Maybe

 

Still considering but something constructive has to be said or done. Whatever it is though, it cannot be to the detriment of the 11 players representing the club on the pitch. They still deserve (and will get) our full support.

 

10. How would you protest? (You can tick more than one box.)

 

Boycott NUFC merchandise

Boycott Sports Direct and other stores owned by Ashley.

 

11. Do you think Sunderland are now a better run club than Newcastle?

 

No

 

No but all the people running that club and the fans are at least pulling in the same direction. Pretty ironic that we're the one with "united" in our title.

 

12. Do you think Newcastle are now a laughing stock?

 

Yes.

 

We were considered a laughing stock before these events, what we've managed to achieve is add fuel to the argument of the people who believed this.

 

13. Should the current management structure of the club be changed?

 

Yes

 

The current management does not have the confidence of the customer (the supporters). What's more, it has gone beyond the point of no return.

 

14. Do you think the club in being run from London?

 

Yes

 

Actually I believe it was being run from a strip club in New York City last week as well as London (and god-knows were else!). What is for sure is that it is not being run from St James Park which is the fundamental issue.

 

15. Do you think the situation is symtomatic to the way football is going?

 

Yes

 

Sadly yes - we're not the only club to have been taken-over from a rich businessman to be subjected to close scrutiny of how we are managed. Liverpool have had fairly high-profile issues as have Chelsea (the departure of Jose Mourinho was not too dis-similar to that of Keegan). The most clear comparison is of course is West Ham. The only club seeming to be on the road to getting it right is Aston Villa.