Mike Ashley weighing up St James’s return

[Christmas Tree 4702]

Todays Chronny

 

 

 

MIKE ASHLEY is contemplating making a return to St James’s Park for Newcastle United’s first home game of the Championship campaign against Reading.

 

The Chronicle first revealed on August 5 that Ashley was preparing to take the Magpies off the market and bring in a managerial figurehead, with former Leeds and Aston Villa boss David O’Leary believed to be at the top of his wishlist.

 

So far, Seymour Pierce have failed to conjure up a buyer for United who can match the sports tycoon’s asking price of £100m and inherit the club’s Premier League wage bill, despite expectations being raised by the investment bank’s Keith Harris last week.

 

Ashley missed Saturday’s trip to the Hawthorns as he was still out of the country, but he has since returned from Hawaii and is thought to be eyeing the clash with Brendan Rogers’ side.

 

A source close to Ashley told the Chronicle today: "Mike is thinking about being in his seat on Saturday.

 

"He has already said that if he is to remain in charge of Newcastle, he will go to games.

 

"When the club came off the market last year Mike went to the games during the run-in."

 

When Ashley took United off the market last season he notified fans via the club’s programme in his notes for the home game with Liverpool on December 28.

 

But the club confirmed today that there are no such notes planned for the Reading game.

 

Tyneside businessman Barry Moat has also been heavily linked with heading a consortium to take United off Ashley’s hands – but has so far failed to come up with a financial package that comes close to tempting the Sports Direct entrepreneur.

 

Ashley’s PR people said today: "As it stands the process is still ongoing, although it’s a slow process. As far as Mike is concerned, he either sells it or he doesn’t. Then he will make plans accordingly."

 

And when pressed on Moat’s bid to take the club on, a representative of the Ashley camp said: "Barry Moat is not in the driving seat. There are still others out there but nothing is likely to be resolved before Saturday’s game with Reading."

 

The concerns for United fans, though, is that Chris Hughton’s already decimated squad could be slashed further by the time the transfer deadline on September 1 comes round.

 

Should Ashley be forced to stay on, he is likely to give Hughton, or any potential interim manager, the go-ahead to bring in new blood, and the former Spurs full-back has already had encouragement to bring in two young players in on loan from White Hart Lane.

 

Hope NUSC can organise through the press some sort of mass fuck off you fat bastard protest.

[Redheugh 0]

Ashley’s PR people

 

 

Who?

[Guest alex]

Hate to say it but I reckon he'll fancy us to come up after Sunday without even investing in some new players.

[JawD 99]

indeed i'd like to see everyone in the stadium telling him to fuck right off

 

Only thing is that the more we do that the more he will think fuck you and sit there and rip the club apart....

[Renton 21364]

He's literally got guts like.

[Monkeys Fist 42105]

FWIW I qwould like to see the 1st half given over to a vocal tribute to SBR.

2nd mind tear into the Fat Fucker.

[Guest alex]

Half coming round to hoping no fucker goes so he finally gets the message. Even then he'll still have the ST sales though. All he cares about is the money as it's obvious he couldn't care less about the club or its fans.

[timnufc 0]

 

dilligaf from newcastle-online done this picture.

 

Reckon that should be blown up for a banner?

 

Sorry but if he is going to sit in SJP on saturday he has to endure an uncomfortable evening.

[The Fish 10750]

I'd want Bobby to get the love he deserves, and then 2nd half an unending torrent of abuse towards Ashley.

 

It wont speed a sale, it won't imbue him with sense, it won't do anything... but fuck me it'll make me feel a little better.

[Marko 0]

the whole stadium chanting "get out of our club" would surely get the message across

[timnufc 0]

I'd want Bobby to get the love he deserves, and then 2nd half an unending torrent of abuse towards Ashley.

 

It wont speed a sale, it won't imbue him with sense, it won't do anything... but fuck me it'll make me feel a little better.

 

This basically.

 

Any humiliation of him, via the media too, is good enough. Any shake of the head by Llambias at 'greedy bastard' chants is good enough, times that abuse by 10 and lets see how much you shake your head then Derek?

 

Something should be properly organised, like by NUSC possibly, such as like you say - 1st half: SBR Appreciation, 2nd half: Ashley abuse, and specific revealing of a number of banners at a certain time so its really blatent, and the press can be tipped off.

[Park Life 71]

Half coming round to hoping no fucker goes so he finally gets the message. Even then he'll still have the ST sales though. All he cares about is the money as it's obvious he couldn't care less about the club or its fans.

 

I haven't seen anything like it since Charles Manson started sitting on the rock and giving little talks to 'the family', while strumming his guitar.

[Fop 1]

Hate to say it but I reckon he'll fancy us to come up after Sunday without even investing in some new players.

 

[Greg 6]

Local paper can't even get the name of the ground correct ffs.

[Happy Face 29]

It's been 226 days since Ashley last took the club off the market and admitted to mistakes in communication and promised an improvement on that score going forward (as well as recommending you have a flutter on us to qualify for Europe).

 

I think he's released 2 statements since. One to apologise for relegation and another to say he's selling up again. It's the one thing that costs nothing whatsoever and is entirely in his control, but with the continued lack of communication he shows nothing but contempt to the fans he's lied to for 2 years and, even worse, for the players who are as in the dark as we are.

[Fop 1]

It's been 226 days since Ashley last took the club off the market and admitted to mistakes in communication and promised an improvement on that score going forward (as well as recommending you have a flutter on us to qualify for Europe).

 

I think he's released 2 statements since. One to apologise for relegation and another to say he's selling up again. It's the one thing that costs nothing whatsoever and is entirely in his control, but with the continued lack of communication he shows nothing but contempt to the fans he's lied to for 2 years and, even worse, for the players who are as in the dark as we are.

 

 

In fairness he is probably as clueless as the fans.

[timnufc 0]

FAO Keith Harris - wake the fat man up!

 

 

'How to Ruin

A Football Club'

By Mike Ashley

 

 

100m? You mean club price -

or debt loan, fatboy?

 

 

Things like that should be all over.

Edited August 11, 2009 by timnufc

[Tom_NUFC 0]

Todays Chronny

 

Hope NUSC can organise through the press some sort of mass fuck off you fat bastard protest.

 

No doubt it'll be discussed at the Members meeting on Thursday night.

[shear class! 0]

Just sell up and fuck off, you fat CUNT!!!!!!

 

Wake me up somebody please when all this shit is over, I'm so bored with it all now. Can't believe it really has come to this.

[Gemmill 44422]

100m? You mean club price -

or debt loan, fatboy?[/b]

 

wtf?

[Scottish Mag 3]

Todays Chronny

 

Hope NUSC can organise through the press some sort of mass fuck off you fat bastard protest.

 

No doubt it'll be discussed at the Members meeting on Thursday night.

 

Will there be a webcast?

[peasepud 59]

Todays Chronny

 

Hope NUSC can organise through the press some sort of mass fuck off you fat bastard protest.

 

No doubt it'll be discussed at the Members meeting on Thursday night.

 

Will there be a webcast?

 

I dont think so, being a members meeting it would need to be private which cannot be guaranteed webwise at the mo. Once the full members area is up and running on the site properly then maybe it can be done but for now it would just be those there.

[Scottish Mag 3]

Todays Chronny

 

Hope NUSC can organise through the press some sort of mass fuck off you fat bastard protest.

 

No doubt it'll be discussed at the Members meeting on Thursday night.

 

Will there be a webcast?

 

I dont think so, being a members meeting it would need to be private which cannot be guaranteed webwise at the mo. Once the full members area is up and running on the site properly then maybe it can be done but for now it would just be those there.

 

 

Nae bother chief!

[peasepud 59]

Todays Chronny

 

Hope NUSC can organise through the press some sort of mass fuck off you fat bastard protest.

 

No doubt it'll be discussed at the Members meeting on Thursday night.

 

Will there be a webcast?

 

I dont think so, being a members meeting it would need to be private which cannot be guaranteed webwise at the mo. Once the full members area is up and running on the site properly then maybe it can be done but for now it would just be those there.

 

 

Nae bother chief!

 

Gis a ring at 7.30 and I'll put the phone on the table

[Christmas Tree 4702]

From The Mirror

 

 

Mike Ashley is ready to run a gauntlet of hate - by returning to St James' Park.

 

Toon's want-out owner has thrown the drawn-out sale saga into fresh turmoil by insisting the consortium fronted by Geordie businessman Barry Moat is NOT in pole position to push through a rescue package.

 

Sport Direct mogul Ashley is weighing up whether to take his place in the directors' box for the Championship clash with Reading.

 

Despite thousands of unhappy fans turning their back on the club, around 35,000 are expected to turn up on Saturday.

 

Ashley - who was on holiday for the season-opening draw at West Brom - knows he will be a target for abuse if he attends his first home game since the end of last season

 

Most supporters blame the unpopular multi-millionaire's botched sale bid for the club's damaging summer paralysis, and will not be slow to let him know their feelings if he risks turning up.

 

Newcastle United Supporters Club spokesman Steve Hastie promised Ashley a hostile welcome, and he said: "Let him see for himself how angry the fans are.

 

"He must be feeling very bullish because in the past, he's always done a runner at times like this. Most fans will be delighted if he's in the directors box so they can hammer home exactly what they think about the whole sorry saga.

 

"He doesn't have to worry about his safety or that of his family. Newcastle fans just want an opportunity to get across to him what we think of the way he's running the club and urge him to sell."

 

Lifelong Toon fan Moat heads a consortium bidding to end Ashley's nightmare two-year reign, but a spokesman for the under-fire owner revealed: "The process is on-going. Barry Moat is not in the driving seat, there are still others out there."

 

Moat's group will install fans' favourite Alan Shearer as boss if they can push through an £80m takeover.

 

Ashley is ready to put former Aston Villa manager David O'Leary in interim charge if he finally loses patience with the sale process and takes the club off the market to concentrate on the bid to bounce straight back into the Premier League.