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Ashley to sell.....OFFICIAL


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Diving into the thread without reading it, but:

 

Sorry, but I'm not falling for the "me and my family aren't safe" line. He'd be perfectly safe in the Platinum Club or the directors box of any other ground in the country.

 

This is a hard-nosed multi-millionaire business man we're talking about- they don't fold at the first sign of someone telling them they don't like them. You don't get to be that rich without standing on a few bodies.

 

The only reason he's selling up is because the value of the business will diminish if the protests and boycotts continue and it's going to be a buyers market if the rumours of groups from China, India and the middle-east gobbling up Premiership clubs is right.

 

He's talking from his wallet, not his heart and any attempt to disguise that is as flimsy as the goods he sells in his sports shops.

 

 

Spot on.

I'm surprised at the number of people swallowing his sob story and actually feeling sorry for him.

 

I have no argument with the theory of identifying and nurturing young talent, but Stevie Wonder could see the first team squad needs 3-5 decent players who could come straight in and do a job. We're not talking Ronaldinho's here, just decent pros who know the game and the premier league.

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Diving into the thread without reading it, but:

 

Sorry, but I'm not falling for the "me and my family aren't safe" line. He'd be perfectly safe in the Platinum Club or the directors box of any other ground in the country.

 

This is a hard-nosed multi-millionaire business man we're talking about- they don't fold at the first sign of someone telling them they don't like them. You don't get to be that rich without standing on a few bodies.

 

The only reason he's selling up is because the value of the business will diminish if the protests and boycotts continue and it's going to be a buyers market if the rumours of groups from China, India and the middle-east gobbling up Premiership clubs is right.

 

He's talking from his wallet, not his heart and any attempt to disguise that is as flimsy as the goods he sells in his sports shops.

 

 

Spot on.

I'm surprised at the number of people swallowing his sob story and actually feeling sorry for him.

 

I have no argument with the theory of identifying and nurturing young talent, but Stevie Wonder could see the first team squad needs 3-5 decent players who could come straight in and do a job. We're not talking Ronaldinho's here, just decent pros who know the game and the premier league.

but if he isn't given the list then he can't go shopping

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Diving into the thread without reading it, but:

 

Sorry, but I'm not falling for the "me and my family aren't safe" line. He'd be perfectly safe in the Platinum Club or the directors box of any other ground in the country.

 

This is a hard-nosed multi-millionaire business man we're talking about- they don't fold at the first sign of someone telling them they don't like them. You don't get to be that rich without standing on a few bodies.

 

The only reason he's selling up is because the value of the business will diminish if the protests and boycotts continue and it's going to be a buyers market if the rumours of groups from China, India and the middle-east gobbling up Premiership clubs is right.

 

He's talking from his wallet, not his heart and any attempt to disguise that is as flimsy as the goods he sells in his sports shops.

 

 

Spot on.

I'm surprised at the number of people swallowing his sob story and actually feeling sorry for him.

 

I have no argument with the theory of identifying and nurturing young talent, but Stevie Wonder could see the first team squad needs 3-5 decent players who could come straight in and do a job. We're not talking Ronaldinho's here, just decent pros who know the game and the premier league.

but if he isn't given the list then he can't go shopping

So what happened to the list?

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Shepherd:

 

2 consortia have approached him about being the "name" on bids as of now but wouldn't give any more details.

 

Ashley is a "cry baby" for whinging about the debt - he paid a market price and with the stadium, training ground and club it should have cost him twice as much.

 

He still loves us (ahh) and we deserve success.

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I also think Ashley has some sort of insecurity and needs to feel loved (hence the buying everyone drinks in Blu Bamboo, spending over a hundred grand on champagne for celebs in New York last week or giving a load of money to charities).

 

He maybe though if he came here and won a trophy with us, we'd put him on a pedestal, sing his praises, chant his name etc (he's probably right).

 

But now things have turned sour, and he's very fucking far from loved, he can't wait to get out.

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Diving into the thread without reading it, but:

 

Sorry, but I'm not falling for the "me and my family aren't safe" line. He'd be perfectly safe in the Platinum Club or the directors box of any other ground in the country.

 

This is a hard-nosed multi-millionaire business man we're talking about- they don't fold at the first sign of someone telling them they don't like them. You don't get to be that rich without standing on a few bodies.

 

The only reason he's selling up is because the value of the business will diminish if the protests and boycotts continue and it's going to be a buyers market if the rumours of groups from China, India and the middle-east gobbling up Premiership clubs is right.

 

He's talking from his wallet, not his heart and any attempt to disguise that is as flimsy as the goods he sells in his sports shops.

 

 

Spot on.

I'm surprised at the number of people swallowing his sob story and actually feeling sorry for him.

 

I have no argument with the theory of identifying and nurturing young talent, but Stevie Wonder could see the first team squad needs 3-5 decent players who could come straight in and do a job. We're not talking Ronaldinho's here, just decent pros who know the game and the premier league.

 

They couldn't even do that....Absolute amateur hour. Half of them in LA the other half in London. Good fucking riddance.

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Diving into the thread without reading it, but:

 

Sorry, but I'm not falling for the "me and my family aren't safe" line. He'd be perfectly safe in the Platinum Club or the directors box of any other ground in the country.

 

This is a hard-nosed multi-millionaire business man we're talking about- they don't fold at the first sign of someone telling them they don't like them. You don't get to be that rich without standing on a few bodies.

 

The only reason he's selling up is because the value of the business will diminish if the protests and boycotts continue and it's going to be a buyers market if the rumours of groups from China, India and the middle-east gobbling up Premiership clubs is right.

 

He's talking from his wallet, not his heart and any attempt to disguise that is as flimsy as the goods he sells in his sports shops.

 

 

Spot on.

I'm surprised at the number of people swallowing his sob story and actually feeling sorry for him.

 

I have no argument with the theory of identifying and nurturing young talent, but Stevie Wonder could see the first team squad needs 3-5 decent players who could come straight in and do a job. We're not talking Ronaldinho's here, just decent pros who know the game and the premier league.

 

They couldn't even do that....Absolute amateur hour. Half of them in LA the other half in London. Good fucking riddance.

 

I'm in agreement

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I also think Ashley has some sort of insecurity and needs to feel loved (hence the buying everyone drinks in Blu Bamboo, spending over a hundred grand on champagne for celebs in New York last week or giving a load of money to charities).

 

He maybe though if he came here and won a trophy with us, we'd put him on a pedestal, sing his praises, chant his name etc (he's probably right).

 

But now things have turned sour, and he's very fucking far from loved, he can't wait to get out.

 

 

This whole lark about debts. Anyone would think we begged him to buy the club. It's absolutely disingenuous to play on peoples feeling and fears regarding debt.

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Former Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd has told Sky Sports News he has already been approached by two consortiums interested in taking over at St James' Park.

 

Mike Ashley's decision to put the club up for sale, amid vociferous criticism from the club's supporters over the departure of Kevin Keegan, has already alerted a number of consortiums weighing up a takeover.

 

Sports Direct owner Ashley bought a 93 per cent share of the club for £134.4million in May 2007 but his regime has been beset by problems.

 

Shepherd claims two separate 'big-money players' have approached him; although he will not be lending his name to their possible bids.

 

Two consortiums

"There are people who would buy that club, there is no doubt about that," he told Sky Sports News.

 

"I've been approached by two consortiums to add my name to it. I didn't fancy adding my name to the consortiums that were offered to me, but there are always people who would buy that club."

 

When quizzed on whether he would ever consider returning to his boyhood club Shepherd remained coy, although he did state he was firmly in favour of reinstating Keegan as manager.

 

He said: "One thing I've learnt is never say never.

 

"I'd take a bet we haven't heard the last of Kevin Keegan. I would definitely bring Kevin back, he's the right man for the job.

 

"It's entirely up to Mike Ashley. When I worked with Kevin he used to identify the players and put a value on them and we used to try and get the money to buy the players. We didn't try to get involved in judging the player - it was left to Kevin."

 

 

Failed set-up

Shepherd believes the infrastructure at Newcastle, set up by Ashley to have Dennis Wise oversee all of the club's transfers, has not worked out and needs dramatically modifying.

 

He continued: "Nobody wants to see what's happened but I think the way the club has been structured has not worked for Newcastle.

 

"It's a fantastic club, it's got everything there, a great training ground, as everybody said it's got great fans and the team must be wondering what's going on - it's certainly affecting them.

 

"I think the position needs to be calmed, it needs to be stabilised. There is far too much emotion running around."

 

 

Stinging rebuke

Ashley's criticism of the financial situation he inherited upon buying the club did not sit well with Shepherd either.

 

"To get back to what he paid for the club, he got us for the right price. He couldn't even build half the stadium for what he paid for that club. He got a great deal," Shepherd concluded.

 

"As far as the money is concerned I think he should take the advice he gave to Sports Direct shareholders: 'Don't be cry babies'.

 

"He seems to be whinging now about the money, well if I was a Sports Direct shareholder I'd be whinging about the money as well. He should take his own advice. The debt he had to pay was if you like, the mortgage on the ground."

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Just watched the news on the Beeb, their two main points were Ashley saying that he was concerned for the saftey of his family and that the fans crave instant success... words fail me, fucking useless, lazy journalism of the worst kind - and fuckwits round the country will lap that shit up like there's no tomorrow! Jesus.

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"2 consortia have approached him about being the "name" on bids as of now but wouldn't give any more details."

 

What does that say about the credibility of the consortia if they wanted FS as a figurehead.

Was saying to my Dad earlier, how we were lucky that this lot had decided to go straight away, not hung on longer than necessary like Shepherd. Now FS might be coming back!?! What is this, one of Leazes' wet dreams?

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Former Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd has told Sky Sports News he has already been approached by two consortiums interested in taking over at St James' Park.

 

Mike Ashley's decision to put the club up for sale, amid vociferous criticism from the club's supporters over the departure of Kevin Keegan, has already alerted a number of consortiums weighing up a takeover.

 

Sports Direct owner Ashley bought a 93 per cent share of the club for £134.4million in May 2007 but his regime has been beset by problems.

 

Shepherd claims two separate 'big-money players' have approached him; although he will not be lending his name to their possible bids.

 

Two consortiums

"There are people who would buy that club, there is no doubt about that," he told Sky Sports News.

 

"I've been approached by two consortiums to add my name to it. I didn't fancy adding my name to the consortiums that were offered to me, but there are always people who would buy that club."

 

When quizzed on whether he would ever consider returning to his boyhood club Shepherd remained coy, although he did state he was firmly in favour of reinstating Keegan as manager.

 

He said: "One thing I've learnt is never say never.

 

"I'd take a bet we haven't heard the last of Kevin Keegan. I would definitely bring Kevin back, he's the right man for the job.

 

"It's entirely up to Mike Ashley. When I worked with Kevin he used to identify the players and put a value on them and we used to try and get the money to buy the players. We didn't try to get involved in judging the player - it was left to Kevin."

 

 

Failed set-up

Shepherd believes the infrastructure at Newcastle, set up by Ashley to have Dennis Wise oversee all of the club's transfers, has not worked out and needs dramatically modifying.

 

He continued: "Nobody wants to see what's happened but I think the way the club has been structured has not worked for Newcastle.

 

"It's a fantastic club, it's got everything there, a great training ground, as everybody said it's got great fans and the team must be wondering what's going on - it's certainly affecting them.

 

"I think the position needs to be calmed, it needs to be stabilised. There is far too much emotion running around."

 

 

Stinging rebuke

Ashley's criticism of the financial situation he inherited upon buying the club did not sit well with Shepherd either.

 

"To get back to what he paid for the club, he got us for the right price. He couldn't even build half the stadium for what he paid for that club. He got a great deal," Shepherd concluded.

 

"As far as the money is concerned I think he should take the advice he gave to Sports Direct shareholders: 'Don't be cry babies'.

 

"He seems to be whinging now about the money, well if I was a Sports Direct shareholder I'd be whinging about the money as well. He should take his own advice. The debt he had to pay was if you like, the mortgage on the ground."

 

 

Irony? :thumbup:

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I've copied this from a post on the SMB by a lad called MackemDale - there are a couple mackem digs and it's harsh in places but overall a fair assessment imo :

 

 

 

I have enjoyed sport since I was a boy. I love football. I have followed England in every tournament since Mexico '86. I was there to see Maradona and his hand of God. I know what it means to love football and to love a club. I know how important it is to other people because football is so important to me.

 

23? You were 23 before you registered England as a football team to support? Hell of a suporter there chief!

 

My life has been tied up with sport. It was the passion that I felt for sport that helped me to be successful with my business. That success allowed me to mix my passion and my business.

 

Your life has been tied up with selling cheaply mad shite to sports fans. It's fuck all to do with a love of 'sport' in the slightest.

 

I bought Newcastle United in May 2007. Newcastle attracted me because everyone in England knows that it has the best fans in football. When the fans are behind the club at St James' Park, it makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. It is magic.

 

Trying to suck-up to the idiot fans. Pathetic. When the fans are behind the club is akin to a little boy having a pop at the boys who don't like him.

 

Newcastle's best asset has been, is and always will be the fans.

More cock-sucking.

 

But like any business with assets the club has debts. I paid £134million out of my own pocket for the club. I then poured another £110million into the club not to pay off the debt, but just to reduce it.

The club is still in debt. Even worse than that, the club still owes millions of pounds in transfer fees.

I shall be paying out many more millions over the coming year to pay for players bought by the club before I arrived.

 

See? See how fucking amazing I am? See how I put my hard earned money into your club? Do you see? Love me. LOVE ME!

 

But there was a double whammy. Commercial deals such as sponsorships and advertising had been front loaded.

The money had been paid up front and spent. I was left with a club that owed millions and part of whose future had been mortgaged.

 

So, basicaly, you didn't bother with Due Dilligence? That'd be your own fault then you fat mong.

 

Unless I had come into the club then it might not have survived. It could have shared the fate of other clubs who have borrowed too heavily against their future. Before I had spent a penny on wages or buying players Newcastle United had cost me more than a quarter of a billion pounds.

 

Therefore you should all love me more than Keegan. Why don't you love me?

 

Don't get me wrong. I did not buy Newcastle to make money. I bought Newcastle because I love football.

 

Bullshit fatboy. You bought NUFC to make money.

 

Newcastle does not generate the income of a Manchester United or a Real Madrid. I am Mike Ashley, not Mike Ashley a multi-billionaire with unlimited resources. Newcastle United and I can't do what other clubs can. We can't afford it.

 

You ARE a multi-billinaire though, aren't you? You can't aford it simply because you're not willing to throw good money after bad but you have some sick predelection of giving the mags an image of being the best thing since Jesus' ressurection.

 

I knew that the club would cost me money every year after I had bought it. I have backed the club with money.

 

So, basically, that would be the same as every other footbal club in the fucking world then? Wow. Amazing revelation there.

 

You can see that from the fact that Newcastle has the fifth highest wage bill in the Premier League.

 

No, that just means you inherrited a team with contracts that fucked the club over.

 

I was always prepared to bank roll Newcastle up to the tune of £20million per year but no more. That was my bargain.

I would make the club solvent. I would make it a going concern. I would pour up to £20million a year into the club and not expect anything back.

 

Tantamount to emotional balackmail. Childish at best.

 

It has to be realised that if I put £100million into the club year-in, year-out, then it would not be too long before I was cleaned out and a debt-ridden Newcastle United would find itself in the position that faced Leeds United.

 

No-one wanted that, surely? The barcodes just want their club run to the sandards set out by Barcelona or Man Utd. None of them have delusions of grandure, do they?

 

That is the nightmare for every fan. To love a club that over-extends itself, that tries to spend what it can't afford.

That will never happen to Newcastle when I am in charge. The truth is that Newcastle could not sustain buying the Shevchenkos, Robinhos or the Berbatovs.

These are recognised European footballers. They have played in the European leagues and everyone knows about them.

They can be brilliant signings. But everybody knows that they are brilliant and so they, and players like them, cost more than £30million to buy before you even take into account agent commissions and the multi-million pound wage deals.

 

Again, the mags know this. As dumb as they can be - they know this shit. They just want the manager to be able to run the team as is traditional. Bringing money into the argument has fuck-all to do with the protests.

 

My plan and my strategy for Newcastle is different. It has to be.

Arsenal is the shining example in England of a sustainable business model. It takes time. It can't be done overnight.

 

All correct - none of which is relevant to the situation.

 

Newcastle has therefore set up an extensive scouting system. We look for young players, for players in foreign leagues who everyone does not know about. We try and stay ahead of the competition. We search high and low looking for value, for potential that we can bring on and for players who will allow Newcastle to compete at the very highest level but who don't cost the earth.

I am prepared to back large signings for millions of pounds but for a player who is young and has their career in front of them and not for established players at the other end of their careers.

 

What? You want to sign nobodys to appease the fans? If this were the case then where are the droves of players coming in who are in their prime in terms of age and ability and ripe for the picking from the European leagues?

 

There is no other workable way forward for Newcastle. It is in this regard that Dennis [Wise] and his team have done a first class job in scouting for talent to secure the future of the club.

 

I couldn't trust that idiot KK to make those kind of decisions.

 

You only need to look at some of our signings to see that it is working, slowly working.

Look at Jonas Guttierrez and Fabricio Collocini. These are world class players.

The plan is showing dividends with the signing of exceptional young talent such as Sebastein Bassong, Danny Guthrie and Xisco.

 

Did KK actually buy any of these plyers himself or was it all done over his head?

 

My investment in the club has extended to time, effort and yet again, money being poured into the Academy.

 

More emotional blackmail.

 

I want Newcastle to be able to create its own legends of the future to rival those of the past. This is a long-term plan. A long-term plan for the future of the club so that it can flourish.

 

I wan't Newcastle to be able to make me a profit when I sell it on.

 

One person alone can't manage a Premiership football club and scout the world looking for world class players and stars of the future. It needs a structure and it needs people who are dedicated to that task. It needs all members of the management team to share that vision for it to work.

 

No one believes they can. They do, however, believe they should be allowed to run the team and it's relative affairs.

 

Also one of the reasons that the club was so in debt when I took over was due to transfer dealings caused by managers moving in and out of the club.

Every time there was a change in manager, millions would be spent on new players and millions would be lost as players were sold. It can't keep on working like that. It is just madness.

 

Hang on... You're blaming the old reigime? Utterly, completely pathetic.

 

I have put Newcastle on a sound financial footing. It is reducing its debt. It is spending within itself. It is recruiting exciting new players and bringing in players for the future.

 

Aye, but it's recruiting those players without it's manager's knowledge, isn't it?

 

The fans want this process to happen more quickly and they want huge amounts spent in the transfer market so that the club can compete at the top table of European football now.

 

Nope. They just want their 'messiah' back. They automaticaly assume that because he got them to 2nd in the prem before that he has the ability to do so again - despite his own assurances that he was clueless about modern football before accepting the paycheck.

 

I am not stupid and have listened to the fans. I have really loved taking my kids to the games, being next to them and all the fans. But I am now a dad who can't take his kids to a football game on a Saturday because I am advised that we would be assaulted.

 

With your kids? Gve me a break. You only ever turned up with your private securoty guards in barcode tops. Or a pint - alcoholic or not. Don't try bringing your children into this. You tried ingratiating yourself with the mags. It never worked. Now they fucking hate you. Don't try and hide behind some fantasy of child protection. You're shit-scared, just admit it

 

Therefore, I am no longer prepared to subsidise Newcastle United. I am putting the club up for sale.

 

Hahahahahaaaa. Dummy spat out. Toys thrown from pram. Grounding in reality thrown out the window.

 

I hope that the fans get what they want and that the next owner is someone who can lavish the amount of money on the club that the fans want.

 

The fans only want their club run like it is down the road. A Chairman with genuine love for the ub, supporters and region. Not some fat dickweed who puts on a replica top with the name of the local legendary manager on his back who he is going to have binned in the next few days.

 

This will not be a fire sale. Newcastle is now in a much stronger position than it was in 2007. It is planning for the future and it is sustainable.

 

Bullshit. You've put in more money than you'll ever ger back. You'll snap the hand off the first much that comes in with a half-decent offer.

 

I am still a fan of Newcastle United.

 

Lies - you never were.

 

We, my kids and I, have loved standing on the terraces with the fans, we have loved travelling with the away fans and we have met so many fans whose company we have enjoyed.

 

More lies.

 

We have absolutely loved it, but it is not safe any more for us as a family.

 

This has fuck-all to do with your family. You're trying to make everyone feel sorry for you. Again, pathetic.

 

I am very conscious of the responsibility that I bear in owning Newcastle United. Tough decisions have to be made in business and I will not shy away from doing what I consider to be in the best interests of the club. This is not fantasy football.

 

I'll sell to the first mug with too much money.

 

I don't want anyone to read my words and think that any of this is an attack on Kevin Keegan. It is not.

Kevin and I always got on. Everyone at the club, and I mean everyone, thinks that he has few equals in getting the best out of the players. He is a legend at the club and rightly so.

 

You probably exchanged words twice.

 

Clearly there are disagreements between Kevin and the board and we have both put that in the hands of our lawyers.

 

Proving you had no idea what was going on? Way to run a business.

 

I hope that all the fans get to read this statement so that they understand what I am about. I would not expect all of the fans to agree with me.

 

They won't all read it because they're not allable to read. They wouldn't agree with you if you said the sky was blue either.

 

But I have set out, clearly, my plan. If I can't sell the club to someone who will give the fans what they want, then I shall continue to ensure that Newcastle is run on a business and football model that is sustainable.

I care too much about the club merely to abandon it.

 

Despite the fact you've already said you'll put no more money in because the fans have been mean to you?

 

I have the interests of Newcastle United at heart. I have listened to you. You want me out. That is what I am now trying to do, but it won't happen overnight and it may not happen at all if a buyer does not come in.

 

No one wants to but the club because it's a joke. We already knew this.

 

You don't need to demonstrate against me again because I have got the message.

 

Please, no longer offend my delicate sensibilities. I am a poor, lonely boy. Please love me.

 

Any further action will only have an adverse effect on the team. As fans of Newcastle United you need to spend your energy getting behind, not me, but the players who need your support.

 

If you're mean to me, I'll twist it into you being against the team. You rotten scum-bags. How dare you be against the team?

 

I am determined that Newcastle United is not only here today, but that it is also there tomorrow for your children who stand beside you at St James' Park.

 

Complete bullshit considering his previous statements of not putting any more money into the team.

 

Mike Ashley.

 

Lord of the mong-clowns.

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As usual Ive got a split opinion on his statement. The first being, well said, it makes sense. but the second being, its a bit fucking late now? All we (as fans) have wanted during this turmoil is a voice from the club. the club was so busy trying to stick one over on Keegan in its "fact" statement that it ignored the club. Therefore, the hostility and not knowing what was going on, escalated into what we seen at Hull. No surprise really. If he had come out with a comment as soon as KK walked, or even a day later, it "may" have eased the situation somewhat.

 

However, still doesnt get away from the fact that Wise for example lied. Said KK had the last word etc on signings that clearly wasnt the case.

 

I've nowt against MA really and I certainly wouldnt want him or his family and harm. Id also be disgusted at any direct threats he or more so his family were given. But, he still should have spoken out about this much much sooner.

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As usual Ive got a split opinion on his statement. The first being, well said, it makes sense. but the second being, its a bit fucking late now? All we (as fans) have wanted during this turmoil is a voice from the club. the club was so busy trying to stick one over on Keegan in its "fact" statement that it ignored the club. Therefore, the hostility and not knowing what was going on, escalated into what we seen at Hull. No surprise really. If he had come out with a comment as soon as KK walked, or even a day later, it "may" have eased the situation somewhat.

 

However, still doesnt get away from the fact that Wise for example lied. Said KK had the last word etc on signings that clearly wasnt the case.

 

I've nowt against MA really and I certainly wouldnt want him or his family and harm. Id also be disgusted at any direct threats he or more so his family were given. But, he still should have spoken out about this much much sooner.

 

 

I think the whole 'strategy' is a tissue of lies.

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