NUFC not for sale + Hughton awarded 18 month deal

[donaldstott 0]

Who cares if some mug stumps up millions to rename the ground, it will always be SJP to me. I think this is a massive over-reaction to a reasonable business opportunity. Also the renaming may not be forever but may be for a fixed period, then the bidding starts all over again.

When other clubs name their stadium, the fans generally get some input.

 

This crystallises his contempt for his customers.

 

Not sure that is the case when it's a sponsorship deal, did Leicester fans get to choose Walkers, Arsenal fans the Emirates, Hull fans the KC?

 

Originally the ground was to have been called the "Walkers Bowl", but that name was dropped after a fans' petition against it.

 

The other two are new.

 

That's marvellous, so instead of the Big Dom Dome we can have the Domestos Way Stadium. I'll sleep easy at night.

[donaldstott 0]

This £20m he's supposedly putting into the club. It'll be interesting to see who we sign in January like. I.e. we all know it'll be about 'running costs'. As though he doesn't have to foot the fucking bill for running costs anyway.

 

If the £20m was for transfers surely he would have said so.

I was taking the piss. It doesn't even exist in any real sense imo. It's just bullshit PR.

 

I work in PR and whoever is advising this tool is fucking useless.

[Guest alex]

Hang on a minute though, the fans would have accepted that as much needed finance for much needed new stadiums so it's complete different anyway.

[Happy Face 29]

Who cares if some mug stumps up millions to rename the ground, it will always be SJP to me. I think this is a massive over-reaction to a reasonable business opportunity. Also the renaming may not be forever but may be for a fixed period, then the bidding starts all over again.

When other clubs name their stadium, the fans generally get some input.

 

This crystallises his contempt for his customers.

 

Not sure that is the case when it's a sponsorship deal, did Leicester fans get to choose Walkers, Arsenal fans the Emirates, Hull fans the KC?

 

Originally the ground was to have been called the "Walkers Bowl", but that name was dropped after a fans' petition against it.

 

The other two are new.

 

That's marvellous, so instead of the Big Dom Dome we can have the Domestos Way Stadium. I'll sleep easy at night.

 

Are you saying we are allowed to complain or not then?

[ewerk 26512]

This £20m he's supposedly putting into the club. It'll be interesting to see who we sign in January like. I.e. we all know it'll be about 'running costs'. As though he doesn't have to foot the fucking bill for running costs anyway.

 

If the £20m was for transfers surely he would have said so.

I was taking the piss. It doesn't even exist in any real sense imo. It's just bullshit PR.

 

I work in PR and whoever is advising this tool is fucking useless.

 

PR only works for those who give a fuck about what others think.

[Howmanheyman 27026]

The name change shouldn't even be up for discussion in my own opinion. I can't believe some are even doing this now, or rather I'm sad to see it, I can unfortunately believe all too well that some people don't care enough about this club and will go along with anything rather than see this oaf for what he is.

 

If the NUST know of potential investors who have been holding back they must push them to make a move now. If they need a further cash outlay the NUST must make moves to ask supporters to help subsidise a move to also get us involved at the club and if this just isn't going to happen then the only real plan we can possibly come up with is simply not to go to the games until at the very least he retracts his statement about re-naming St. James' Park.This could be alongside media campaigning but shouldn't be instead of a boycott. Marches by themselves will fizzle out as a lot of people in modern Britain, (even places like ours who used to be militant) just can't bother themselves to do anything about something they don't like anymore. Apathy rules.

 

It has to be a boycott, I'm afraid.

[donaldstott 0]

Who cares if some mug stumps up millions to rename the ground, it will always be SJP to me. I think this is a massive over-reaction to a reasonable business opportunity. Also the renaming may not be forever but may be for a fixed period, then the bidding starts all over again.

When other clubs name their stadium, the fans generally get some input.

 

This crystallises his contempt for his customers.

 

Not sure that is the case when it's a sponsorship deal, did Leicester fans get to choose Walkers, Arsenal fans the Emirates, Hull fans the KC?

 

Originally the ground was to have been called the "Walkers Bowl", but that name was dropped after a fans' petition against it.

 

The other two are new.

 

That's marvellous, so instead of the Big Dom Dome we can have the Domestos Way Stadium. I'll sleep easy at night.

 

Are you saying we are allowed to complain or not then?

 

I'm saying it's fucking pointless complaining if all we are changing is semantics. Walkers Bowl or Walkers Stadium, it is still a sell out.

 

He will sell the rights regardless so the best we can hope for is a compromise. I think that the most sensible course of action is to retain the St James' Park part of the name and like the Riverside have the Sponsor as prefix.

 

Sage St James Park for instance would not be the end of the world.

[Happy Face 29]

The name change shouldn't even be up for discussion in my own opinion. I can't believe some are even doing this now, or rather I'm sad to see it, I can unfortunately believe all too well that some people don't care enough about this club and will go along with anything rather than see this oaf for what he is.

 

If the NUST know of potential investors who have been holding back they must push them to make a move now. If they need a further cash outlay the NUST must make moves to ask supporters to help subsidise a move to also get us involved at the club and if this just isn't going to happen then the only real plan we can possibly come up with is simply not to go to the games until at the very least he retracts his statement about re-naming St. James' Park.This could be alongside media campaigning but shouldn't be instead of a boycott. Marches by themselves will fizzle out as a lot of people in modern Britain, (even places like ours who used to be militant) just can't bother themselves to do anything about something they don't like anymore. Apathy rules.

 

It has to be a boycott, I'm afraid.

 

25000 season tickets.

 

We'd still have above average gate receipts for the division.

[Howmanheyman 27026]

The name change shouldn't even be up for discussion in my own opinion. I can't believe some are even doing this now, or rather I'm sad to see it, I can unfortunately believe all too well that some people don't care enough about this club and will go along with anything rather than see this oaf for what he is.

 

If the NUST know of potential investors who have been holding back they must push them to make a move now. If they need a further cash outlay the NUST must make moves to ask supporters to help subsidise a move to also get us involved at the club and if this just isn't going to happen then the only real plan we can possibly come up with is simply not to go to the games until at the very least he retracts his statement about re-naming St. James' Park.This could be alongside media campaigning but shouldn't be instead of a boycott. Marches by themselves will fizzle out as a lot of people in modern Britain, (even places like ours who used to be militant) just can't bother themselves to do anything about something they don't like anymore. Apathy rules.

 

It has to be a boycott, I'm afraid.

 

25000 season tickets.

 

We'd still have above average gate receipts for the division.

The money from these ST's has already gone into his back pocket the club but doesn't mean a fan has to go. Forty odd thousand gates at St. James' Park or ten thousand at 'named-sponsor-here' stadium. That's a message to the owner and any other potential investor.

[Craig 6308]

Who cares if some mug stumps up millions to rename the ground, it will always be SJP to me. I think this is a massive over-reaction to a reasonable business opportunity. Also the renaming may not be forever but may be for a fixed period, then the bidding starts all over again.

When other clubs name their stadium, the fans generally get some input.

 

This crystallises his contempt for his customers.

 

Not sure that is the case when it's a sponsorship deal, did Leicester fans get to choose Walkers, Arsenal fans the Emirates, Hull fans the KC?

 

Originally the ground was to have been called the "Walkers Bowl", but that name was dropped after a fans' petition against it.

 

The other two are new.

 

That's marvellous, so instead of the Big Dom Dome we can have the Domestos Way Stadium. I'll sleep easy at night.

 

Are you saying we are allowed to complain or not then?

 

I'm saying it's fucking pointless complaining if all we are changing is semantics. Walkers Bowl or Walkers Stadium, it is still a sell out.

 

He will sell the rights regardless so the best we can hope for is a compromise. I think that the most sensible course of action is to retain the St James' Park part of the name and like the Riverside have the Sponsor as prefix.

 

Sage St James Park for instance would not be the end of the world.

 

I sincerely hope you're taking the piss...

[Guest alex]

We only got about 5k less than we were getting in the PL for the visit of Doncaster Rovers. No wonder he thinks he can do what the fuck he likes. I say that as one of the mugs who signed up and has already paid in full for 3 years btw.

[Scottish Mag 3]

Do you think they will let us out of our season ticket deals next summer like they did this year?

[Happy Face 29]

Who cares if some mug stumps up millions to rename the ground, it will always be SJP to me. I think this is a massive over-reaction to a reasonable business opportunity. Also the renaming may not be forever but may be for a fixed period, then the bidding starts all over again.

When other clubs name their stadium, the fans generally get some input.

 

This crystallises his contempt for his customers.

 

Not sure that is the case when it's a sponsorship deal, did Leicester fans get to choose Walkers, Arsenal fans the Emirates, Hull fans the KC?

 

Originally the ground was to have been called the "Walkers Bowl", but that name was dropped after a fans' petition against it.

 

The other two are new.

 

That's marvellous, so instead of the Big Dom Dome we can have the Domestos Way Stadium. I'll sleep easy at night.

 

Are you saying we are allowed to complain or not then?

 

I'm saying it's fucking pointless complaining if all we are changing is semantics. Walkers Bowl or Walkers Stadium, it is still a sell out.

 

He will sell the rights regardless so the best we can hope for is a compromise. I think that the most sensible course of action is to retain the St James' Park part of the name and like the Riverside have the Sponsor as prefix.

 

Sage St James Park for instance would not be the end of the world.

 

I don't want to argue semantics. You asked if the Walkers was an example of a stadium where the fans had no input, as if it should exempt Ashley...I answered why it shouldn't.

 

I'm lost as to what your point is. You'd be happy with a compromise but Ashley's not offered it. You don't think it shows his disregard for the fans, renaming the stadium entirely is within his right as it was with other clubs new stadiums but you want to retain St James' Park.

[Craig 6308]

We only got about 5k less than we were getting in the PL for the visit of Doncaster Rovers. No wonder he thinks he can do what the fuck he likes. I say that as one of the mugs who signed up and has already paid in full for 3 years btw.

 

On a side note, my trainers are fucked and over the weekend I seriously considered popping into Sports Direct for a new pair....

 

Fucking glad I didn't - I'm rather proud of the fact that not one penny of mine has passed into Mike Ashley's hands since 4th September 2008

[1892 0]

[trophyshy 6434]

I'm not going to anymore games. I am not spending anything else. I will maintain an interest, follow the club, but I am not prepared to put a single penny into his pockets now. He is a terrible cunt. The last person to do this much damage to Newcastle was dropping bombs.

Edited October 28, 2009 by trophyshy

[NJS 3986]

I'm not going to anymore games. I am not spending anything else. I will maintain an interest, follow the club, but I am not prepared to put a single penny into his pockets now. He is a terrible cunt. The last person to do this much damage to Newcastle was dropping bombs.

 

 

Yeah on a slightly sad note, this means I won't be going to a home game for the foreseeable future. I still intend to go to a few aways after xmas though.

[Scottish Mag 3]

Why all Newcastle fans should boycott Mike Ashley's plan to rename St James' Park: Simon Bird's big lunchtime read

 

And the latest from SportsDirect.com Park is that Mike Ashley couldn’t sell Newcastle United. So instead he’s decided to sell it’s history.

 

Taking Newcastle off the market last night was a blow, but not a huge surprise. Chris Hughton got the manager’s job full time - no shock there either.

 

But here’s the real stunner. Prepare for St James’ Park to become the Popular Airline Arena. Or perhaps the Well Known Chocolate Bar Bowl. Or the High Street Bank Stadium.

 

Tucked away at the bottom of his statement last night announcing Hughton as boss, and saying Barry Moat couldn’t raise the cash for a takeover, Ashley blundered (that word again) into making the kind of provocative, insensitive, ludicrous statement he has made his trademark as a football club owner.

 

He tells us that the club are exploring ways of maximising new revenue streams next summer. And that means St James’ Park, the name that is, will soon be no more. Replaced by a soulless corporate label.

 

Ashley is ready to trade more than a century of tradition for a few quid.

 

To sacrifice the name of the city’s most famous landmarks to swell the coffers with a sum that will hardly buy a decent new striker if United do get promoted.

 

Ask a football fan anywhere in the world what they know about Newcastle United and they’ll say St James’ Park, Alan Shearer and black and white stripes.

 

Well, Ashley’s already cast Shearer aside, now for the name of the ground. What next? Out with the black and white, and in with an all new red and white home kit?

 

Let’s not give the man ideas. After all this is a club who asked for potential buyers to bid via an email address in June... only to be deluged by hoaxers.

 

His latest brainstorm will be met with the kind of anger that accompanied his treatment of Kevin Keegan in September last year.

 

It is as if he sat back and thought: How can I rile those Geordies some more?! How can I take away a bit more dignity from the club?

 

Does he not see that putting the name of St James’ Park up for sale, on the same night as he decided to extend his massively unpopular regime, is so deliberately provocative as to incite new levels of frustration/rage/disillusionment at his regime?

 

Hang on a minute, you are thinking. It is those Geordies getting all sentimental again. Just like they did about Keegan. They’ll be crying on the telly next.

 

Plenty of other clubs have successfully renamed grounds. Look at Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, lovely place. Yes, but it was a new stadium.

 

Actually it is a lot about being sentimental. When your club has been reduced to a shadow of its former self by the mismanagement, incompetence and lies of an owner with no more credibility, then you cling to the solid foundations of its history.

 

The strip, the ground, the legends who have served it faithfully in the past.

 

St James’ Park is as massive part of Newcastle’s history. Generations of families have walked to what Sir Bobby Robson used to call the “cathedral“ on the hill.

 

My first visit to St James’ Park was in the early ’80s. Newcastle 4-2 QPR. Peter Wythe scored twice AND rescued a black and white collie dog that strayed onto the pitch.

 

The main stand was nothing much more than a tin shed. There was a small window masquerading as a ticket office. The tickets cost £2.50 each, for the best seats. (Well it was a birthday treat.) I was actually at ST JAMES’ PARK.

 

If your dad took you to St James’ Park for your first match, you want to take your lad, or lass, to St James’ Park to see his first match.

 

So yes, perhaps that is a bit sentimental. But it is also about not selling out and turning a historic ground into just another corporate entity in the glitsy, everything is up for grabs, world of soccerball. Or whatever it will soon be called.

 

I sincerely hope that finally a crazy plan mooted by a crazy owner will be defeated. Already the Geordie fans are mobilising, and they’ll vent their fury.

 

I plan one small protest.

 

I vow always to refer to it as St James’ Park in my MirrorFootball dispatches.

 

I would urge others to follow suit and show any new sponsors they’d be wasting their money buying a name that belongs to the stadium and the fans.

[1892 0]

Should just get a load of coaches to Dunstable (SportsDirect HQ) and start havoc!

[The Fish 9023]

Pud surely a "Potential applicants looking to take the risk of standing side by side with a man most Newcastle fans hold in utter contempt, should be under no illusions; your products will be boycotted and your brand image will be irrecoverably damaged. Newcastle fans are passionate, proud and have very long memories"

[donaldstott 0]

Who cares if some mug stumps up millions to rename the ground, it will always be SJP to me. I think this is a massive over-reaction to a reasonable business opportunity. Also the renaming may not be forever but may be for a fixed period, then the bidding starts all over again.

When other clubs name their stadium, the fans generally get some input.

 

This crystallises his contempt for his customers.

 

Not sure that is the case when it's a sponsorship deal, did Leicester fans get to choose Walkers, Arsenal fans the Emirates, Hull fans the KC?

 

Originally the ground was to have been called the "Walkers Bowl", but that name was dropped after a fans' petition against it.

 

The other two are new.

 

That's marvellous, so instead of the Big Dom Dome we can have the Domestos Way Stadium. I'll sleep easy at night.

 

Are you saying we are allowed to complain or not then?

 

I'm saying it's fucking pointless complaining if all we are changing is semantics. Walkers Bowl or Walkers Stadium, it is still a sell out.

 

He will sell the rights regardless so the best we can hope for is a compromise. I think that the most sensible course of action is to retain the St James' Park part of the name and like the Riverside have the Sponsor as prefix.

 

Sage St James Park for instance would not be the end of the world.

 

I don't want to argue semantics. You asked if the Walkers was an example of a stadium where the fans had no input, as if it should exempt Ashley...I answered why it shouldn't.

 

I'm lost as to what your point is. You'd be happy with a compromise but Ashley's not offered it. You don't think it shows his disregard for the fans, renaming the stadium entirely is within his right as it was with other clubs new stadiums but you want to retain St James' Park.

 

Ashley has proved time and again that he will do as he pleases. He did not buckle to fan pressure, he has not listened to calls to get out of the club. He will not listen to calls for him to offer up the stadium name to the highest bidder.

 

IMO a more sensible strategy would be for NUST to call for a compromise whereby any renaming to be a prefix only, retaining the name but also allowing him to raise the revenue.

 

Otherwise he will just have us playing in the DFDS Seaways Stadium.

[The Fish 9023]

No.

 

A compromise on this is not a compromise, it's a surrender

[Tooj 17]

Nice article Mr Bird.

 

Only problem is I think you under estimate the evil that is Apathy.

 

As one member wrote on the NUSC forum

Now is the time to work with Ashley, not protest against him.

 

However I will copy and paste your article into an email and send my second email of the day to Mr Editor of the chronnie.

Take it up on that forum then. I can bet that most people's opinion differs to that one though.

[NJS 3986]

Bird makes a good point that the only people who could be left calling the ground by its new name will be Sky.

 

Now of course that's the major selling point for anyone but I still think a good campaign underlining that nobody is happy about it along the line of Fish's post about association could mean that the potential suitors would only be ones who don't really care anout semantics or customers. RyanAir comes to mind.

[trophyshy 6434]

This man should be hounded out as a despicable lying manipulative pleb of a human, the fact Newcastle has been his stage on which to demonstrate this is an unfortunate coincidence for us. But he is the worst end of capitalism, all profit, no soul. He should be lambasted for this primarily, what he has done to our club is a sympton of his illness.

 

Life is NOT ABOUT FUCKING MONEY.