Kinnear; well nobody knows why he was
here, what he did or what he brought to the
roll. His words were a joke, his position even
more laughable. Words other than that fail me
when it comes to Joe Kinnear.
!and I’m sure many others believe that Ashley
I
is no longer interested in Newcastle United as
a going concern and hasn’t been for at least
five seasons. He is maneuvering for a sale.
The signals are all there; the lack of any
incoming transfer activity; the cash being
banked from player sales; the accumulation of
signings only on loans and easy to get off the
books for a new owner.
! was told earlier in the season about a firm
I
offer that was made to buy the club but Ashley
wanted to wait until after the January transfer
window before concluding. It wasn’t a
conversation in a pub or something picked up
from some far away forum. It was information
regarding a genuine bona fide offer but
Ashley’s insistence on waiting killed it.
The potential owners walked and that deal
seems dead, but who knows what’s round
the corner in the world of Mike Ashley.
! the 5 year plan that was spouted so
Perhaps
flagrantly by Llambias is coming to fruition.
Perhaps the plan was simply to recoup the
debt accrued from his misguided purchase.
Perhaps it was nothing to do with
performances but simply an asset strip. Net
transfer profit, repayments of loans, Cabaye
money, and Television revenue. They soon
add up. And after all, the Board tells us that
we are in a healthy financial position.
Sell a cash rich club and you are hardly
going to leave a nice nest egg in the bank
account for the new owner are you.
For a man who utters nothing his actions
appear louder than words. I hope I am right
and a sale is close at hand. Our club is too
good and our supporters too loyal to have to
put up with him much longer.
Asset Strip!
The news that the bidding process for the club owned land on and around Strawberry
Place that is currently utilized as the Metro carpark is entering the next phase, brings
home how ill thought out commercial decisions can jeapordise all future potential
growth of the football club.
!
As NUST state, these plans to sell the land for development puts a cap on the capability
of future owners of the club to develop the club further.
!
“None of this looks like being part of a strategy to have a growing, sustainable football
club that is doing everything it can to increase its own income and thus its sporting
competitiveness.
“It looks very much like part of a plan to asset strip NUFC and make short-term
decisions that are in the interests of the owner, rather than the long-term future of the
club.”
!
As a football club we should be looking at past mistakes made in the name of
commercial expediency and for that you need to look no further than Chelsea and
Stamford Bridge. The Chelsea Hotel complex has completely stymied any possibility
for Chelsea increasing their capacity at the Bridge. We should not allow the club to
sleepwalk into a similar situation. Enough is enough Mr Ashley; stop asset stripping
and if you have no plans to build this club then sell it as a full package, not as
pieces at a car boot sale.
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