Keith Harris

[snakehips 0]

On TalkSPORT this morning.

 

When asked about Ashley taking over again he said 'No, he hasn't taken over..' (the two muppets - Brazil & Parry - then waffled on a load of shite, so the matter of what Harris was going to say was lost

 

Asked about the NUFC sale, Harris said that the debt had all been paid off. He seemed genuine, so I guess that Ashley is currently just recouping, bit by bit, what he paid to lose the debt?

 

Anyone else hear the interview?

[ewerk 26954]

What do you mean by 'taking over again'?

Edited January 8, 2009 by ewerk

[snakehips 0]

What do you mean by 'taking over again'?

 

Brazil inferred that when Ashley 'took the club off the market' he was taking over control of running the club again.

[ewerk 26954]

I didn't think he had ever relinquished control of running the club, given that he has 'kicked every ball' from his sofa.

[Kevin Carr's Gloves 3285]

What did Cuddles and Orville say?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will indeed get my outer wear garment.

[Ketsbaia 0]

I didn't think he had ever relinquished control of running the club, given that he has 'kicked every ball' from his sofa.

 

That's no way to exercise. Nee wonder he's such a fat cunt

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

What did Cuddles and Orville say?

Your pet names for Alan Brazil and Mike Parry?

[Kevin Carr's Gloves 3285]

What did Cuddles and Orville say?

Your pet names for Alan Brazil and Mike Parry?

 

No thats alcy and useless cunt.

[Guest alex]

Surprised no one has mentioned this but but Harris was on Radio 5 last night and claimed that Newcastle were almost sold to an American until some fraud case cost said buyer a few $100m. Been mentioned several times since on 5 but couldn't see anything on the Beeb's website about it.

[Tom 13915]

I didn't think he had ever relinquished control of running the club, given that he has 'kicked every ball' from his sofa.

 

He could partner Viduka up front...

[ewerk 26954]

Magpies sale ‘lost to bank scandal’

 

Jan 9 2009 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

 

 

KEITH Harris, the man charged with finding a buyer for Newcastle United, last night claimed that the $50billion fraud perpetrated by rogue investment banker Bernie Madoff wrecked the attempts of two wealthy groups to buy the club and forced owner Mike Ashley into reversing his decision to sell.

 

After two months without a single serious bid for the club, Ashley decided to take United off the market at the end of last month to eradicate the uncertainty that was beginning to threaten their Premier League status.

 

In a statement issued before United’s 5-1 defeat by Liverpool, Ashley spoke of his desire to “drive the club forward” and to secure its future – but Harris has suggested it was a move born out of necessity.

 

Harris, hired by United in October after his success in selling Manchester City to Middle East oil tycoons but, despite his initial optimism and insistence that the club was debt free, he was unable to find any takers.

 

Speaking about his attempt to find a buyer for United for the first time since Ashley committed himself to Newcastle, he said that the economic climate has made it virtually impossible to sell a football club.

 

Harris also claimed negotiations with two interested parties worth several hundreds of millions of pounds broke down after the collapse of the hedge fund run by Madoff, who is currently being prosecuted in the US for the largest investment fraud in history.

 

“Mike Ashley hasn’t said I’m back in charge, what he has said is that we’ve tried but the economic climate beat us, which it clearly did,” said Harris.

 

“A few weeks ago there was a decent degree of positive thought and optimism that there would be a buyer and then, amongst others, Mr Madoff came along. There were two people that were looking at Newcastle with us who lost, let’s say, over $300m to Madoff.

 

“Let’s face it, it (the Madoff scandal) holed everything beneath the water line. The people who were investing with him followed their peers and they should have done their due diligence and all those things and they didn’t.

 

“That came at the end of a two or three-month period of absolute decline

 

in all the stock markets, financial markets and banking markets.”

 

Harris’ intervention is curiously timed and will hardly be welcomed by Ashley as he attempts to heal the wounds inflicted by the breakdown of the owner’s relationship with former manager Kevin Keegan.

 

His repeated insistence that Ashley has cleared the club’s debts paints the owner in a positive light, however, with Harris suggesting that it may be a positive selling point when the economy improves.

 

“You don’t need to have a minimum of £5 billion to run a football club. It depends very much on the nature of the club you are taking over,” he said.

 

“In the case of Newcastle, one of the things that I thought was very attractive was that Mike Ashley put his hand in his own pocket and paid off all the debt.

 

“So in the case of Newcastle what you were acquiring would have meant not looking at having to worry about what do I do when the banks we want their money back.”

 

Back on the field, United boss Joe Kinnear is in desperate need of fresh investment to strengthen a squad that has been stretched by injuries.

 

The club’s interest in Rangers duo Majid Bougherra and Barry Ferguson is ongoing and, despite some contradictory statements from the Light Blues’ chairman Sir David Murray, United could secure the pair for around £6m.

 

Kinnear will also be encouraged by the fact that the club are also yet to receive a bid for goalkeeper Shay Given.

 

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes admitted yesterday that he is yet to enquire about the Ireland goalkeeper.

[NJS 4021]

Yeah the people who were interested just happened to have invested with Madoff.

 

This fucker is as much a lying lickspittel as Kinnear.

[stevietoon 0]

Yeah the people who were interested just happened to have invested with Madoff.

 

This fucker is as much a lying lickspittel as Kinnear.

 

you can listen to the full discussion with harris on the listen again section on radio 5 website; programme wqas football matters and newcastle were talked about at around 8.40pm. guests were robert peston, bbc finance reporter and john majeski, chairman of Reading.

 

interesting that there is no mention in the journal piece of the bit where Harris referredto newcastle fans as zebras. wonder how many times that phrase has been referred to in the boardroom. it sounds very much like the sort of condescending remark used in anger, rather than than in a complimentary tone. Perhaps thats how Ashley see's us.

interesting also to hear we were taken off the market because of necessity rather than a desire to take the club forward.

[David Kelly 1117]

Yeah the people who were interested just happened to have invested with Madoff.

 

This fucker is as much a lying lickspittel as Kinnear.

 

you can listen to the full discussion with harris on the listen again section on radio 5 website; programme wqas football matters and newcastle were talked about at around 8.40pm. guests were robert peston, bbc finance reporter and john majeski, chairman of Reading.

 

interesting that there is no mention in the journal piece of the bit where Harris referredto newcastle fans as zebras. wonder how many times that phrase has been referred to in the boardroom. it sounds very much like the sort of condescending remark used in anger, rather than than in a complimentary tone. Perhaps thats how Ashley see's us.

interesting also to hear we were taken off the market because of necessity rather than a desire to take the club forward.

Was there ever any doubt about this.

[snakehips 0]

I listened to the whole show last night.

 

The presenter was asking which prem clubs could conceivably go to the wall. He (don't know the presenter's name) specifically mentioned Newcastle United and was hoping upon hope that Harris or Madjeski (sp) or that BBC financial guy (Penton is it??) was going to say 'yes' they could go to the wall. I swear that the presenter would have jizzed in his pants if one of the three guests had said that we could go bust. However, Harris said NUFC were a good buy due to the local and world-wide support - he mentioned the 'rows of zebras' in reference to the shirt sales and marketing stuff. Madjeski (sp) positively gushed about NUFC he couldn't say anything more positive about us - top marks to the bloke. Anyway, what 'they' said about NUFC was NOT what the presenter wanted to hear, the tosser.

[Guest alex]

I think it's Mark Saggers. There was a (sort of) phone-in after KK left and he basically just took the piss/tried to get a rise out of any Newcastle fan calling - cliched shite like 'you're never happy', 'you lot got Robson sacked and look at you now'. Used to think he was ok before that.

[Fop 1]

I don't know that we'd want anyone daft enough to invest with Madoff owning us, but it just goes to show that money largely makes money (until everything goes tits up anyway), not any particular savvy or intelligence.... or at least greed overrides it.

[Guest alex]

I don't know that we'd want anyone daft enough to invest with Madoff owning us, but it just goes to show that money largely makes money (until everything goes tits up anyway), not any particular savvy or intelligence.... or at least greed overrides it.

I tend to agree with NJS tbh, i.e. it's a rather convenient excuse.

[Norbert Colon 0]

I think it's Mark Saggers. There was a (sort of) phone-in after KK left and he basically just took the piss/tried to get a rise out of any Newcastle fan calling - cliched shite like 'you're never happy', 'you lot got Robson sacked and look at you now'. Used to think he was ok before that.

Aye it is Mark Saggers - not sure whether he has a specific dislike for us or just toes the general 5 live party line which in general is to ridicule and mock nufc at every opportunity but he went to town when Keegan left - i ended up switching off cos i couldn't take any more fuckin cliches he was coming out with - i can't stand five live they are so clueless they put fuckin waddle up as an expert to comment on any news regarding newcastle - he fuckin hates us the mackem twat

[snakehips 0]

I think it's Mark Saggers. There was a (sort of) phone-in after KK left and he basically just took the piss/tried to get a rise out of any Newcastle fan calling - cliched shite like 'you're never happy', 'you lot got Robson sacked and look at you now'. Used to think he was ok before that.

Aye it is Mark Saggers - not sure whether he has a specific dislike for us or just toes the general 5 live party line which in general is to ridicule and mock nufc at every opportunity but he went to town when Keegan left - i ended up switching off cos i couldn't take any more fuckin cliches he was coming out with - i can't stand five live they are so clueless they put fuckin waddle up as an expert to comment on any news regarding newcastle - he fuckin hates us the mackem twat

 

I hardly ever listent to 5Live - I only tuned in last night as I had heard they were going to talk about the current crisis and football. 5 Live are STILL doing these adverts for their own shows which goes along the lines of: have tune in background. At intervals have someone make a comment as if they're talking through a magaphone or something. Christ on a fucking bike.

 

Anyway, I took Harris at his word yesterday saying we were close to being sold only for this fraudster to cause mayhem. It makes no difference really, as we're still owned by Ashley who wants the money he has paid our debts off with back.

[Guest alex]

Apparently 5 has a ' great new look' to weekday mornings (aye, they called it that). Wtf? I think they later said Nicky Campbell's show finishes an hour later than it previously did.

[snakehips 0]

Apparently 5 has a ' great new look' to weekday mornings (aye, they called it that). Wtf? I think they later said Nicky Campbell's show finishes an hour later than it previously did.

 

I've never listened to it, and I never will (I guess). When I'm at home it is always TalkSPORT - yes, they are really pathetic at times, but the BBC just make me puke.

 

Anyway, back on topic....

[Guest alex]

Apparently 5 has a ' great new look' to weekday mornings (aye, they called it that). Wtf? I think they later said Nicky Campbell's show finishes an hour later than it previously did.

 

I've never listened to it, and I never will (I guess). When I'm at home it is always TalkSPORT - yes, they are really pathetic at times, but the BBC just make me puke.

 

Anyway, back on topic....

I have it on in the background a bit, especially in the morning when I can't stand most of the shit music other stations play. Plus I love TMS although that's not really Radio 5 (5Live Extra/Radio 4). Talksport is terrible imo.

[snakehips 0]

Apparently 5 has a ' great new look' to weekday mornings (aye, they called it that). Wtf? I think they later said Nicky Campbell's show finishes an hour later than it previously did.

 

I've never listened to it, and I never will (I guess). When I'm at home it is always TalkSPORT - yes, they are really pathetic at times, but the BBC just make me puke.

 

Anyway, back on topic....

I have it on in the background a bit, especially in the morning when I can't stand most of the shit music other stations play. Plus I love TMS although that's not really Radio 5 (5Live Extra/Radio 4). Talksport is terrible imo.

 

TMS is part of UK make up imo - we MUST keep it.

 

Yes, talksport are terrible - but I just have to get my fix (Lord knows why).

[Norbert Colon 0]

I think it's Mark Saggers. There was a (sort of) phone-in after KK left and he basically just took the piss/tried to get a rise out of any Newcastle fan calling - cliched shite like 'you're never happy', 'you lot got Robson sacked and look at you now'. Used to think he was ok before that.

Aye it is Mark Saggers - not sure whether he has a specific dislike for us or just toes the general 5 live party line which in general is to ridicule and mock nufc at every opportunity but he went to town when Keegan left - i ended up switching off cos i couldn't take any more fuckin cliches he was coming out with - i can't stand five live they are so clueless they put fuckin waddle up as an expert to comment on any news regarding newcastle - he fuckin hates us the mackem twat

 

I hardly ever listent to 5Live - I only tuned in last night as I had heard they were going to talk about the current crisis and football. 5 Live are STILL doing these adverts for their own shows which goes along the lines of: have tune in background. At intervals have someone make a comment as if they're talking through a magaphone or something. Christ on a fucking bike.

 

Anyway, I took Harris at his word yesterday saying we were close to being sold only for this fraudster to cause mayhem. It makes no difference really, as we're still owned by Ashley who wants the money he has paid our debts off with back.

Tbh its a total mess but it seems very convenient that the very same buyers that were goin to take us on were stung by this guy - maybe its true but at the same time it would be a very easy out for somebody to use (conspiracy theorytastic)