been watching Sunday Supplement, as usual, and the cast this morning all seemed to have great sympathy and support for our predicament, as John Richardson and Neil Custis would naturally do. Custis tottered on the brink of bickering with Oliver Holt on issues concerning South Korea and Stockport County, but generally supported them in their views on Newcastle and what has happened since MIke Ashley took over.

They were saying that we need to win our 3 home games. While this is true, and remember that having won only 4 home games all season and 6 in total all season, this looks a tall order. Winning these 3 games would undoubtedly keep us up, but psychologically on a game by game basis, we can’t fall too far behind or we just won’t win them.

We could lose today, but whatever happens its absolutely critical we win next monday night or the game will be up and we wouldn’t recover.

If we draw today and win next monday, we could get above either Hull or Blackburn on goal difference, and that could be the momentum needed to take into the last few games.

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Do you think Mike Ashley was planning for the long term good of the club when he took it over. I think getting rid of our better players/higher earners [the 2 come cap in hand], ie 3 of them in the last 2 transfer windows, does nothing other than show his naivety/lack of genuine ambition.

I started to get the feeling a long time ago that he saw what he thought were guaranteed 50,000 crowds, and thought he would have that with minimum outlay and safety with an accompanied profitable company.

Unfortunately, he was wrong. We won’t get 50,000 crowds regardless. Maybe he now realises, maybe he doesn’t and the real shock will come when the season ticket renewals come through, especially if we go down.

On the basis that I think he has been naive/lacking ambition, I think a lot of what he has done has been reactive, and borne out of each event as they happened, and looking for a solution but is really out of his depth being a “businessman” first before a football club owner.

I don’t know if he rejected a reported offer from the Abu Dhabi Group, its not good reading if its true, and he may well now regret not taking it. Why he turned it down ? I don’t know. Maybe he still thought he could run a profitable club, maybe he DID ask for more money.

I think if you listen to the views of the NUSC, particularly the rally on saturday, the only thing they want is the best for the club. They are supporters. They want success. One thing was said which I thought was spot on, was that nobody is interested in how much money anybody is earning or taking from the club, we just want someone who will look after the club and give us a team to be proud of again, which represents the city and all of us, and giving it the best shot at being successful. They also said that all we hear from the club is talk about debts and what they inherited, but they never tell us about the Champions League qualifications, the expanded stadium, the top players, the capacity crowds, the Cup Finals, Semi Finals, the affection people had for us under Keegan and Robson ie 2nd favourite team. Etc etc. Absolutely nailed on, and as this is what I’ve been saying myself for ages, I am hardly going to disagree.

The fact that it took the Keegan departure to open some eyes is really just irrelevant now. He’s gone, we know he’s gone and we have to get on with it. This event which triggered the birth of the NUSC isn’t something to scorn it for, in time to come when all this is over, we will have a Newcastle United Supporters Club. When I was a kid, I was a member of something called the Newcastle United Supporters Club. They had a shop, sort of the equivalent of “the Back Page”, they organised away travel and sold lots of merchandise and lot of people joined it. Whats wrong with that ? Why don’t you give them a listen and see that they want the club to be successful, as supporters ?

Does anybody remember the Magpie Group ? Well , without the Magpie group we would never have got rid of the McKeags etc. Malcolm Dix was a fairly prominent businessman who held up the group and got a bit of publicity, but it needed John Hall to get into it to give them some added prominence and publicity. Don’t underestimate the part Dix played though, for me, he stuck at it and in the end we have to say we owe him a lot for what he did. Personally, I think now that the NUSC need someone of prominence to propel their message just like the Magpie Group got in the end.

We know that Ashley is far richer than the Halls, Shepherd etc were, and so he can stick it out longer, but he also doesn’t have the ties or attachment to the city, so is in that respect unlikely to stay where he isn’t wanted when he gets a good offer.

I would like to say, now I’m posting this, that I would have loved him to have succeeded as much as anyone did. I sold my shares to him – although I would have preferred to keep them – especially when Keegan came back. Actually when Keegan came back I wondered for a short while if I had been wrong and he would back him but it became fairly obvious soon that he wasn’t going to do it and I thought for ages before Keegan left that he wasn’t going to last the distance.

Ashley has had opportunities to admit he got it wrong. Nobody wants him to make a public apology if he doesn’t want to, he only needs to make the right actions and decisions, and I for one, would have gave him every chance if I saw that he had seen all of this. At 54, I’ve more reason than most people to hope he was successful, or sells as soon as possible to someone who is.

This article is by NE5, you can comment on it here :

I’ve never thought Martins was a top player. Don’t get me wrong, his goals have probably saved us from going down for 2 seasons and scoring 12-15 goals is decent going [17 in the first season possibly ?] but scoring spectacular goals just doesn’t make up for missing the bread and butter ones through lack of composure, or his general inability to make the right decisions in team play.

He’s got his price which is one of the highest we have, but yesterday was a classic example. Start of the 2nd half, 2-0 up but Stoke putting us under pressure to get back into the game. Great chance to make it 3-0 and game over, missed and 30 seconds or so later its 2-1.

A GOOD striker, who gets the basics right, would have at least forced the keeper to save in that situation. Its not a one off, it just happens to often.

We have 5 or 6 good players at the club, but the rest of them are either hit and miss [Martins] or just not good enough and thats why we are in the shit and its also why we lost the lead yesterday, not really Kinnears substitutions, which were forced on him to an extent by having no options to speak of.

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This post is by LeazesMag and can also be discussed at the following link :

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Creativity gone. Pace gone. Its hardly rocket science that you need players to play to their strengths if you want to succeed.

Since TCA [change of tack from me here] was kicked out of the club, our style of play has changed noticeably. Its the right way to play, but is it the right way to play ?

How can you play effective football if you don’t have effective footballers ?

Think about it. Bolton were struggling early in the season, with their team trying to play “more football”. Since Gary Megson came in they haver – supposedly according to reports anyway – reverted to the style they used before which suited the players that were put together by Allardyce.

Result = better results and movement up the league.

The football we played was crap, but we had a team of predominantly scrappers, Allardyce was building a team to play his style of football.

Now, we are trying to play with flair but don’t have it. Our results are not going well. True nobody expected to get anything against Arsenal twice, but the disastrous 2nd half at Villa has set the alarm bells ringing.

The glee among the southern manure supporting press at Keegan failing to recapture his old magic after 5 games is huge, probably heard all the way to Manchester.

Its not working. Or is it just that we have played good quality teams and lost accordingly.

We have home games against teams below us, its essential that we win those games, maybe not all 3 but certainly 2 and a draw are needed to keep daylight between us, and I’m not talking about the mackem derby game specifically, just a haul of at least 7 points out of these 9, with an away win thrown in for good measure.

Are we going to get these points by playing the way we are at the moment, or reverting to long ball and scrapping mode which is more in keeping with the limited ability of our midfield players.

Staying up, the only thing that matters now.

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It’s fair to say that quite a lot of people were more than happy with the appointment of Sam Allardyce. Equally, there were many people who never wanted him through the door. I wouldn’t say they will be happy that at the moment, as they look to be correct, but it would be nice to know why they opposed his appointment.

Was it because they thought he would play shit football ala Bolton style, ugly and flairless ?

You can count me out of those particular group. I admit I wanted Sam. I also recognised that Bolton weren’t the best team to watch. But I was one of those who thought he had attributes to manage Newcastle and would be adaptable to managing superior players, after all hasn’t he managed players such as Anelka, Gary Speed, spitting Diouff, to name 3, better than most ?

This was his biggest and single attribute.

The biggest mistake he has made so far, is going into games against the lower teams in the league where he appears to have adopted the mentality that we have to avoid defeat before winning. The selections he has made, has mirrored this thought process.

He still has the Bolton mentality, instead of the bigger club mentality.

Can he adapt, will he become a “Newcastle manager”. I think it would be a great shame if we didn’t give him time and he went somewhere and did – for a bigger club than Bolton – what we all hoped he would do for us ie be better for the experience and learned the hard way how to step up in his mindset.

Typical Newcastle though. As Nicky Butt says today in the press, he’s been here for 3 and a half years and Sam is the 4th manager he’s played for. This is clearly a ludicrous state of affairs.

This is why I say we should stick with him, for now. We can’t afford to keep changing managers.

In my opinion, they need to get together with Sam, and find out where he thinks that the problems are, and what he thinks needs to be done about it. His future at the club probably depends on the outcome and his evaluation, because if he still thinks that new defenders are the most urgent priority then he has got it all wrong. Only Mort and Ashley can do this. If they want to avoid a freefall into the relegation zone, they may have to do this, and soon, because we are now in the transfer window, and come the end of january we have to stick with what we have until the end of the season.

One particular thought is that at Bolton he was making the best use of a limited group of players. Not many people have expressed this, but just now he may have exactly the same at Newcastle ?

This article was written by NE5.

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I’m writing this the day after our best players in this country failed to qualify for next years Euro Finals.

Am I bothered, are you bothered ? I’m not sure how much I’m bothered. I was glued to the telly, getting slightly worked up when the 2^nd goal went in, hoping they would get a 3^rd and so virtually put us through, so maybe I was more bothered than I think.  I used to watch England a lot, when I worked down South, in the late 1970s and early 80’s, and saw them as a 2^nd club, after NUFC of course, but not getting anywhere close to NUFC which goes without saying. I enjoyed going to Wembley watching England, who played good football, with flair and intelligence, under Greenwood, and led by Keegan and Brooking. Greenwood may not have been the best choice, but he did a good job, although he bottled it when it came to the big tournament in Spain by reverting to a more negative line up. Things are different now though, very different, so far as England and their players are concerned.  What I despise about the current England team, and some of the players, is the way some of them tell us every other week it seems, that they are sorry for letting us down, must make sure this doesn’t happen again, appreciate the loyalty of the “fens” and ask us to “get behind them”. And other such stuff. I also despise the southern press for their hypocrisy – I won’t even go near their natual hatred of NUFC, borne out of a fear that we one day get our act together and beat all of their own particular southern darlings.  Think about  the way they way they slated Keegan – how dare they – for “walking out” of the England managers job, yet scream out on their back pages for Eriksson, Smuggins McLaren, Hoddle etc etc to go when they cling on like grim death to the job. What would you prefer ? A man with integrity and the balls to stand aside hopefully for someone better, or one who clings on until he is sacked despite the realisation that they know deep down they are not getting anywhere, or have lost the plot, or the support of the fans, or any other reason ? Can you imagine what it must take to stand in front of a camera and tell the whole country that you feel someone else can do better than you as manager of England ? McLaren after the match was reported as saying he had no intention of walking away, I didn’t see the interviews, I went straight down to the pub. The FA took the matter into their own hands, good for them, for once.  See McLaren last night ? The idiot repeated what he did with the smoggies ie played a negative “system” then reverted to a positive line up that he should have started with, except last night he didn’t get out of jail like he did managing the smoggies in europe and reached the UEFA Cup Final. Such actions only admit he got it wrong in the first place. And credit even to the smoggies, even THEY had the brains to boo the hopless smug knacker. He said after the Russia game he should be judged after 12 games, not 10. Well you were judged after 12 games Stevie lad, close the door on your way out.

Aside of that, Croatia were the best team, they are a quality team, and the way they play, forcing their own pace, keeping their composure, shape and their instant control, was great. As we have nobody to support next summer, I would consider hoping they would win this cup next summer, if they didn’t play in red. So. What does this have to do with Newcastle ? Well, our manager in waiting – so we are constantly being told – was reported last week as saying he would take the England job if offered. Is this a good thing or bad ? Does it mean if he does a great job then NUFC will never get the manager we’ve been waiting for for decades, apart from Keegan of course. On the other hand he could be an utter dud, in which case you could make the point that international football management is different to club management, if it suits you. Or Alan Shearer will disappear into the MOTD studios and the comfort of the TV studio like all the other failed and hopeless managers. Quite a lot of them are ex managers of ours.  Who said they were experts ?   Alternatively, as our current manager was very keen on the England job in the past, and is supposed to have got close to getting it,  will he get another chance ? A fair number of people of the black and white persuasion would like him to, it would seem. Shame as he’s only been here for barely half a season. Would Shearer step into Sam’s shoes if England come calling ? Will England even consider him if they look closely at the start he’s made at Newcastle ? Is Allardyce suited to international management, are his methods suited to international football ? Close scrutiny of his signings and strategy since moving into our own hot seat would give anyone misgivings. We are playing with a lack of flair, pace, and creativity. One thing I saw quite clearly from my days watching England, is that at that level, you play with intelligence, you move the ball, you hold your head up, you look around you, make good decisions, and have pace. Last year we had more of these qualities than now, but we have lost 2 players who were very important, and have brought in lots of defenders and midfield fighters and steady types. Does Allardyce have the footballing nous to bring in talented footballers, and get them playing high level quality football ? The higher you go, the more important this becomes. Long ball, physical stuff is extremely limited. It may be fine for clubs like Bolton – but won’t go down too long here, unless he is winning games. I’m not one personally for this “entertainment before winning” myth, but it has been proven to be the case that managers at Newcastle who bore the crowd don’t last, the moment they stop winning the crowd turns on them. See Kenny Dalglish for proof. We lost the FA Cup Final, and 2 league games later he was sacked.  What if we had won ? He wouldn’t have been sacked when he was, that is a certainty. There is a link between Allardyce and McLaren’s misfortunes. McLaren made a mistake from day 1, when he decided to assert his authority on his squad – nothing wrong with that – but he chose the wrong option. He binned Beckham. He should have binned fat arse Lampard. The effect would have been the same, he’d have stamped his authority on the team, shown he was his own man, but making the decision he did meant he carried on putting square pegs into round holes, in order to accommodate Lampard. His predecessor also played Gerrard and Lampard. These 2 just don’t work together, how many more well paid professionals won’t see what humble fans like us who know nowt, can see.  England’s best performances have been recently when Gareth Barry partnered Gerrard. Partnerships always work better than individuals. And playing Lescott at full back, whats that all about ? Likewise, playing Carson in goal last night ? Robinson – and James – may not be the best keepers England have had, but to choose to play Carson in such an important game, with such high stakes ? It could have worked, but such decisions for such games is madness, and rebounded on him big style. I feel sorry for Carson, he deserved better treatment and a better chance on a different occasion to stake his claim. What was that all about ? Allardyce has played Milner and Zoggy on opposite flanks, now what’s THAT all about ? The first time he did it, I thought they would at least spend the game alternating, but they didn’t. Is there something I’m missing here ????? Zoggy is our only midfield player with pace and dribbling – not a good situation in itself – but playing him at left back when he’s paid 6m quid for a left back, what about all that too  ? He needs to pull his finger out, and fast. I personally would give him time, but I won’t deny I have found some decisions worrying, and some of his buys worrying, particularly when we let Dyer and Solano go on deadline day and went ahead with the bringing in of 2 more defenders and no more forwards to replace Dyer and Solano ? What was that all about then ? A mistake, without a doubt, that he and we are paying for now. The situation needs to be rectified in January, if we are to have any hope of a season which started with such new enthusiasm isn’t to end long before we have got used to in recent years.  Finishing off, after the Blackburn game, an improved performance, but another defeat. A performance and positive approach like this in some of our earlier games could have paid dividends. It is all too late ? 

NE5

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A new era has dawned on Newcastle United. A new board, almost a new team too, in fact. During the summer we have brought in 9 new players – Barton, Capaca, Enrique, Smith, Viduka, Rozenhal, Geremi, Beye and Faye.

Observers will note that to a man, these players are more muscular, aggressive, steelier, than the types of players we have bought under the last previous regimes, especially the proper players that Souness brought in. I’ll try not to mention his name again.

Obafemi Martins said recently, that it seemed like a new club, such were the changes, and everything was better. Good. Such talk makes me get the optimism hat out of the cupboard, that I put away 4 years ago. I’d be even happier if Michael Owen followed this lead and extended his contract, as he will be a free agent in less than 2 years time. Surely he owes us a return of some sort.

Last season, some of us noted that we had rather a short team, composed of a few too many short players. We also lacked a bit of muscle too, which can be part and parcel of having a team of shortarses, if you think about it. A front pairing of Martins and Owen hasn’t came about yet, and probably won’t under Allardyce, unless we have some serious injuries. By my reckoning though, we’ve had more than our share of those, it must be someone else’s turn. This would surely be the shortest front pairing in the history of the game.

Big Sam Allardyce [BSA] has came in and addressed one of our most serious flaws, but I think he may have gone one step too far. Many people feared that we would turn into a Bolton under Big Sam, as if we played like Brazil before, say I, laughingly. Based on our early games, we are lacking a creative midfield player, and pace in midfield. We lacked this last season too. Having lost Kieron Dire, if you actually counted him as a player anyway, such was the amount he played, we need a replacement, one who plays though, thank you. Dire was sold and 2 more players came in [Merde and Faye], both defenders. I think the club should have switched their sights and replaced Dyer instead of buying one of those 2 players.Count in Nobby Solano and that is another forward who left the club, on deadline day.

So. Lots of possession, good passing, but not really getting behind defences is the verdict on our games so far. Maybe Barton will improve us, in fact I’m sure he will. But he is injured, so why don’t we have anyone else ? Where is Emre, is he injured, or is BSA going to ship him out, he’s too small, and he’s a homer, in my opinion. I would sell him for a decent offer.

Overall, I am happy with Sam, and for the most part, the transfer dealings. I wrote previously he was my choice, and I think we can be successful with him, and could get back into the top 4, maybe even this season. If we had signed a pacy front player, I’d be more confident of doing this sooner rather than later. We can give the cups a serious run for their money, especially the League Cup, which we haven’t always done in the past, foolishly playing weakened teams on a few occasions and paying the price.

Wembley

Wembley. The finals of the domestic cups are back at Wembley. A new stadium, expensive, a proper stadium where the fans are close to the pitch, designed so the noise stays in, in short the dogs bollocks.

The last Wembley brought nothing but joy to NUFC on the first 5 occasions we played there, it was a lucky stadium. I was brought up believing that it was our 2^nd home. The first time I went, in 1974, I can’t remember if I expected to win, but probably did. What I didn’t expect was to sit here some 33 years later and recollect 5 visits to this place, and 5 defeats, including 3 non performances, and only 2 goals.

At least in between I have been to Wembley and saw the team I support win on numerous other occasions. I’ve seen England play about 20-odd times at the old Wembley. The Keegan years, under Greenwood, when England played with a swagger, poise, intelligence and without fear. Although Clough should have got the job, Greenwood did well. England were unlucky in the 1982 World Cup in Spain, Keegan and Brooking were injured, the 2 key attacking players, and in my opinion would have had a good tournament if they had played. I also saw England play fairly often during the first few years of Bobby Robson’s reign, including the 9-0 win over Luxembourg, and the shocking defeat against Denmark which cost qualification for the 1984 Euro, a terrible performance.

The best years were the Keegan years though. Funny how the little man inspires such things everywhere he goes.

Also strange how Newcastle United have had their longest period of trophyless years in their entire history during my time spent on this planet. When will it change ? Are we jinxed ? Has someone frowned on us and decided to pay us back in spades for the over the line Final win against Arsenal in 1932 by decreeing that we’d have one little golden spell to lure us all into a false sense of security then suffer an eternity of heartbreak ?

So here we are, the present day. The new Wembley. A new stadium. A new start, and a fresh change of luck.

Newcastle United. New owners, a new manager, a change of direction. And a change of luck ?

Will the 2 things marry together, soon ?

Yesterday, we were drawn away to Arsenal in the League Cup.

This article was written by NE5. It can also be discussed by clicking on the following link :

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Arsenal, ManUtd, Liverpool, Chelsea. The impregnable top 4, forever, never to be replaced, so say the media, mostly the cockney media, strangely.

Turn back the clock to the onset of the premiership. The Sky deal was negotiated while the Big 5 were ManU, Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton and Spurs. These clubs supported the idea to capitalise and build on their impregnable status.

NUFC were nowhere. We were stuck in the depths of the old 2nd division, and hadn’t had a sniff of this elite for the thick end of 40 years.

Turn the clock forward 4 years, and the Big Two were ManUtd and Newcastle. Nobody had a chance of catching those 2 clubs, who simply had the best managers, the best players, and the league was a 2 man race, Liverpool looking in from the outside and the club to sneak in, if anybody

Go back to the end of the 1970’s and early 1980’s. Liverpool and Forest were the Big Two. Villa broke them up, winning the League and European Cup, just like their 2 rivals.

 Hmmm.

 See the Pattern ?

What of the current impregnable Big 4. ManU have regained the title, they are going nowhere fast, until Sir Alex calls it a day anyway. Chelsea too, for as long as Abramovic enjoys playing with his rich mans toy. Liverpool have been the most consistently well run and successful team in the past 40 years, but can you see them winning the title in the immediate future ? Their new owners don’t appear to be showing much in the way of determination to help their manager along this road, do they ? Shite directors, how much will they back their man ?

Arsenal ? Well, following the departure of David Dein, they are vulnerable. All is not well, Wenger appears to be anything but at ease with the new regime. Henry, their prize asset, has gone, and cited this as the backround. Other top players have indicated they will follow him out of the door.

Logically, if one or more of them falter, someone will take their place. Who will it be ? If it is shown they have been taken over by inferior directors, with different ideas, who appoint inferior managers, they will be taken over by the club who has made the good moves and appointments.

Newcastle United are on the up. We appointed the right manager, and the club appears to have been taken over by an individual who desires success.

Nice to see we weren’t taken over by the new owners of Liverpool and Arsenal, who may well be about to take their clubs backwards.

There’s no such thing as a permanent Big 4. It changes all the time, and this time, my heart is ruling my head when I say we may just well have hit the jackpot.

This article was written by NE5. It can be also discussed on the following site

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Recently, I wrote that I wanted Sam Allardyce as our manager. I’m not usually so prophetic – neither do my predictions always come about either so don’t lay the blame at my doorstep if the appointment of Big Sam goes the way of some of his predecessors.

I’m definitely not guilty of marking Fred’s card on this one.

 Speaking of Fred. He was in hospital this week, while he was there he learned that his partner in crime has sold his major shareholding in the club.

Is Fred feeling he has been stabbed in the back by his old friend ? Probably, but thats life, these things happen. A cheque for 50m+ plus is nice compensation for the curtailment of a friendship. What price is it in Freds eyes ? We now know what the Halls price was. They have taken the money.

What now for Shepherd and his allies on the board ? What now for the club ? What now for us the supporters ? What now for Allardyce ?

You could be forgiven for thinking for a moment that he is wondering how long he will be at his new job. Reports over the weekend suggest that our probable new owner – who currently is the owner of 41% – is a bit of a hard taskmaster. Maybe, like all businessmen, he simply wants his own men in charge. Did the people behind the scenes know a few weeks ago when Allardyce was appointed that the club was about to change owners ? I doubt it. The timing of Mike Ashley making his move was perfect, kept it quiet, and moved when his major opponent had his hands tied. Literally. This is in keeping with some of his other business ventures, apparently he has taken over one or two other companies in the past, with lightning speed and used the element of surprise.

Surprise ? It’s the biggest shock since Hereford beat us in the FA Cup, and our old directors Westwood, Seymour etc resigned en block when they realised their gravy train had came to an end.

The big question now is will Fred fight back and try and secure a hold on the club, and indeed a seat on the board. He has between 29% and 30% of shares. He can prevent Mike Ashley from securing 75% of shares. However, as in all business, 50% + 1 means that the holder can make decisions without the consent of others, Mike Ashley has not spent the money he has to stop now. I think that if Fred tries to buy more shares, and if he gets the 30% he has to make an offer for the remainer, Ashley will simply outbid him. He has more money. My money – which unfortunately is nowhere near Ashleys or Freds either for that matter – is on Ashley here.

If Freddie Shepherd however has any sense, he will realise it is time for him to walk away from the club. If he stayed and won, he will be a hated figure forever, because the vast majority of supporters want this takeover, and unlike some of the past groups or individuals linked with the club, Ashley is probably the right man at this point in time, who has the clout, business interests and ambition to move the club forward. Or if he hasn’t then the messages that have came out of his camp in the last week have certainly fooled me.

So. A few weeks ago, thats all, our season fizzled out to a damp ending. A Dire performance, a rare Dire goal from a player appearing to be drifting back to his dire ways, and we were looking forward to a dire summer, and wondering how the clubs financial situation was going to effect our dire prospects. Yes, there is a jackpot payout from sky tv on the horizon, but I doubt that the club was in a position to spend this money, or an effective portion of it, on the players we so badly needed, and still do.

Move on to Allardyce. Great news. The club had appointed the manager they should have done 3 years ago, but he turned it down. 3 years too late is better than never I suppose.

All of a sudden, I’m looking forward to the new season, for the first time in quite a few years.

Now this. It’s taken a few days to get my head around, personally I have not doubted the ambition of the outgoing board, they have backed their managers, and they would have backed Allardyce, I’m certain of that.

You know how it works. Good manager + backing from the board + time = success.

Now however, there is another ingredient. Money. Maybe not on the scale of Abramovic, but we can safely say that our “manageable” debt has been taken care of, this in itself means there is more money for the manager, immediately. In the long term, a person like Ashley hasn’t bought the football club for any reason other than to expand his business empire. He sees that there is money to be made. This is not going to happen if he allows the club to run down. He wants to see the stadium full. He wants to see us playing where the money is. He might want to carry on with the stadium expansion plans ? I wonder what his thought on this are.

I also wonder what his thoughts on Allardyce are. I’m sure Big Sam will get some time, but I hope he isn’t too hasty. The target next season is a top 6 place, a sense of obvious improvement, maybe the bonus of even the League Cup. If Ashley wants more than this, quickly, he’s going to have to dig deep and realise we need a bigger squad of more quality. The balls in his court.

This morning, I sent of my season ticket renewal. I want to make sure it is in early and leave nothing to chance.

This article is by NE5. It can be discussed on the howaythetoon message board.

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