Eyan The Mackem (oo)
2011-09-02 01:50:21 UTC
Dear Mr Ashley,
I would like to start by ensuring you that this isn’t a campaign of hate
against you. I don’t wish to tell you that I hate you or I wish you harm,
nothing extreme like that.
I do however wish to inform you of the damage that you are doing to my
beloved football club. I’m positive that your a thick skinned guy and can
take criticism with a pinch of salt, but I think it’s about time you
listened.
Allow me to begin by telling you that I’m Newcastle United through and
through, the club is my life and my mood is often reflected on how events at
the club are. Call it a cliche but if you cut me open I bleed black and
white. When the team get a win on a Saturday afternoon you can’t get rid of
my smile and as silly as it sounds I feel happier beginning my week when the
players have made me proud.
I’m a passionate guy and that’s why it pains me to watch you and Derek
destroy this club with your persistent lies and incompetence. You have made
this wonderful club a laughing stock after promising to deliver so much when
you first took over. You used to sit with us at games donning a replica
shirt, which at the time seemingly showed you wanted to build a bond with
the fans and enjoy yourself a bit. Fine. All good.
I understand that you are a businessman and any successful businessman likes
to balance the books and go on to make a nice profit. I also appreciate that
the club was in a dire financial state when you took over and that was
something that needed rectifying and fair one, you did. I must say I’m
surprised though that a man of your wealth and background hasn’t wanted to
pump more money in the club and see the potential of a successful team and
the glory that could come with it.
We have a wonderful fan base Mike and believe you me when someone can get it
right here they will reap the rewards. You however have opted to go beyond
balancing the books and instead make big profits at the expense of our
playing staff. Since you have been at the club your lack of ambition has
seen you cash in on the club’s best assets every time. Shay Given, James
Milner, Charles N’Zogbia, Andy Carroll, the list continues. The painful
truth is we don’t see this money ever again. Stick the £12 million we got
for Milner on red did you?
I’m quite frankly not buying it when you claim the money is being reinvested
in the club on facilities. Did the underground heating set you back £35
million? What about players? Replacing the fans favourites with others that
the fans will adore? If we look at Andy Carroll, we sold him last January.
It was a massive blow for the supporters here, but it was fine because
yourself and Derek assured us that every penny would be reinvested into the
squad in the summer.
Here we are 8 months down the line and the club has failed to replace him.
For over half a year we have known that we had to replace our goalscorer,
our local hero. Yet here we are on September 1st, day after the closure of
the window without a replacement. How very predictable Mr Ashley, you have
failed once again.
I’m waiting for the whole ‘we tried our best’ nonsense, but leaving it till
the very last day of window to bring in a striker – are you mad?! Or is your
excuse going to be there was no one available? Plenty of striker movement on
the day and I think it was all smoke screens and there was a sad lack of
effort. If there was it was too little too late.
The scary thing is that a massive majority of Newcastle fans knew this would
happen. The running of this club has become that predictable that you and
your right hand man have reduced the fans to being untrusting and sceptical.
That’s a shame that no matter how loyal or optimistic any fan is they know
you cant be trusted.
You seem to be uncaring and ignorant to what the fans want and need from
their club. We are your customers and you should be more caring to what we
think. At my work if I fobbed off customers and refused to provide a good
level of customer service I would be lynched. I may not always agree with
what others want, but I’m not so arrogant that I simply ignore them.
Your failings are beyond just the transfer market. Your treatment of people
you have employed is revolting. From the way you undermined Kevin Keegan,
ditched Alan Shearer without any explanation, sacked a man doing a good job
in Chris Hughton all the way up to Alan Pardew now.
Some have described Pardew as a yes man, a puppet. Someone that you hired
because he wouldn’t argue back and he would speak of you like your a humble
and honest guy. I happen to disagree with those people, I think Alan has
done a good job and I think you have continued to put him in awkward
positions. Yourself and Derek making claims that you haven’t backed up at
later dates. And it’s Mr Pardew that has to clean up with the press and the
fans – something you refuse to do. Your lack of communication is a concern.
It’s like you have no balls.
In my opinion your lucky that he puts up with it. Of course many will
disagree with my view on the manager but with your track record with
managers and players, I wouldn’t at all be surprised if that was the real
scenario, that your manager is forced to tidy up after you and Derek. It’s
not just managers let’s look at the departures in this window.
Kevin Nolan – Club Captain. I am aware that the arrival of Yohan Cabaye
compensated for the loss of Kevin. I will give credit where credit is due,
Yohan is a great signing (probably down to Mr Carr) but I don’t like the
stories that the board went back on a gentlemen’s agreement of a new deal
for Nolan. The principle of that stinks. I agree that he shouldn’t of been
handed a contract at the length he wanted, but why offer it in the first
place? Nolan’s departure had a mixed reaction from fans but I was disgusted
to hear that’s how he was treated – on principle if nothing else.
Now I know Joey Barton had his moments and despite being a fan of his I
certainly didn’t find some of his Tweets professional or appropriate. But
the fact he questioned the ambition of the club showed that he cared for the
cause. He shouldn’t have made his feelings quite so public but he wasn’t the
only player to bring his concerns to the table was he? Joey just has a no
nonsense approach and will say it how he sees it. Thing is half the dressing
room probably agree with his views, has that occurred to you?
Joey was voted our Player of the Season last year. He was instrumental on
the pitch and had such affection for this football club ans it’s fans. Your
ego and arrogance wouldn’t allow you to listen to the likes of Nolan and
Barton when maybe you could have sat each of them down and attempted to fill
them with confidence. They had given you dedication on the pitch but you
didn’t show any back in return.
To give our player of the year a free transfer was a joke. This was yet
another blunder which gave others the ammunition to dig at us and have a
laugh at the club and fans expense. Despite how we may be perceived by
others we are a proud bunch and don’t enjoy the spotlight when it’s for the
wrong reasons.
You also seem happy to take away the tradition and history of the club
seemingly too. Sports Direct @ St James’ Park? Well I suppose it would be
rude to miss out on an advertising opportunity wouldn’t it. But it gets
worse, ripping down the Newcastle United lettering from St James’? That
makes me sick I must tell you. Replacing the singing section of the ground
with more away fans?
Do you enjoy alienating yourself from the Geordie faithful? It’s not even
the specific people you tread on, it’s the principle behind your decisions.
I’m tired of you humiliating us and sucking the life out of OUR club. You
may own NUFCbut believe me it will always be our club, you sadly don’t have
the club’s best interests at heart. Your merely a shrewd businessman. Don’t
be flattered by me calling you shrewd though, I only use that word because
you have made £59 million odd profit from players alone in recent years.
Look at owners at other clubs and take note Mike. You are a lot more wealthy
than some of them, yet others will back their managers and want what is best
for the fans. These are basic qualities that you lack Sir. If you got these
fans on side and tried to build the club you would find yourself in a really
good place I feel. It shouldn’t be that every fan wants the window closed
before it even opens because we are worried about who’ll we’ll lose rather
than who we will gain. You have made us a selling a club. Newcastle is a
club of big stature and calibre and should be treated like one.
We have made some solid signings, but how long will you keep them for? I’m
not convinced that you have it in you to turn down a good bid for a player,
which tells us everything about your blueprint for this club. In January
what will happen if someone comes in for Tim Krul or Cheik Tiote or Hatem
Ben Arfa? Would you have the balls to say no? I want to build a team around
these boys.
I think I know the sad but true answer to that one.
I am an optimistic fan, one that used to be very placid when it came to
yourself. I never overly trusted you, but I thought protests and abusive
chants towards you were maybe a little too much. But I’m at a point now
where I want you to pack up and go. The fact I’m at that stage tells a
story.
When a Newcastle fans pulls on a replica shirt that they have to splash £50
(£35 at your own shops???) on at the club shop, there’s a real feeling of
pride and honour. The passion and dedication is something that you have
failed to embrace and understand since you have been here. Although I won’t
campaign or write ‘Ashley out’ on a bed sheet, I agree with the millions up
on millions of people who want to see you sell up and go.
You can’t run a club like Newcastle the way you are Mike, the fans are
protective and care a lot more than you will ever realize about Newcastle
United. Don’t you think you have done enough damage?
So be a sport and kindly fuck off,
Regards,
A Deluded TGB Born 1992
I would like to start by ensuring you that this isn’t a campaign of hate
against you. I don’t wish to tell you that I hate you or I wish you harm,
nothing extreme like that.
I do however wish to inform you of the damage that you are doing to my
beloved football club. I’m positive that your a thick skinned guy and can
take criticism with a pinch of salt, but I think it’s about time you
listened.
Allow me to begin by telling you that I’m Newcastle United through and
through, the club is my life and my mood is often reflected on how events at
the club are. Call it a cliche but if you cut me open I bleed black and
white. When the team get a win on a Saturday afternoon you can’t get rid of
my smile and as silly as it sounds I feel happier beginning my week when the
players have made me proud.
I’m a passionate guy and that’s why it pains me to watch you and Derek
destroy this club with your persistent lies and incompetence. You have made
this wonderful club a laughing stock after promising to deliver so much when
you first took over. You used to sit with us at games donning a replica
shirt, which at the time seemingly showed you wanted to build a bond with
the fans and enjoy yourself a bit. Fine. All good.
I understand that you are a businessman and any successful businessman likes
to balance the books and go on to make a nice profit. I also appreciate that
the club was in a dire financial state when you took over and that was
something that needed rectifying and fair one, you did. I must say I’m
surprised though that a man of your wealth and background hasn’t wanted to
pump more money in the club and see the potential of a successful team and
the glory that could come with it.
We have a wonderful fan base Mike and believe you me when someone can get it
right here they will reap the rewards. You however have opted to go beyond
balancing the books and instead make big profits at the expense of our
playing staff. Since you have been at the club your lack of ambition has
seen you cash in on the club’s best assets every time. Shay Given, James
Milner, Charles N’Zogbia, Andy Carroll, the list continues. The painful
truth is we don’t see this money ever again. Stick the £12 million we got
for Milner on red did you?
I’m quite frankly not buying it when you claim the money is being reinvested
in the club on facilities. Did the underground heating set you back £35
million? What about players? Replacing the fans favourites with others that
the fans will adore? If we look at Andy Carroll, we sold him last January.
It was a massive blow for the supporters here, but it was fine because
yourself and Derek assured us that every penny would be reinvested into the
squad in the summer.
Here we are 8 months down the line and the club has failed to replace him.
For over half a year we have known that we had to replace our goalscorer,
our local hero. Yet here we are on September 1st, day after the closure of
the window without a replacement. How very predictable Mr Ashley, you have
failed once again.
I’m waiting for the whole ‘we tried our best’ nonsense, but leaving it till
the very last day of window to bring in a striker – are you mad?! Or is your
excuse going to be there was no one available? Plenty of striker movement on
the day and I think it was all smoke screens and there was a sad lack of
effort. If there was it was too little too late.
The scary thing is that a massive majority of Newcastle fans knew this would
happen. The running of this club has become that predictable that you and
your right hand man have reduced the fans to being untrusting and sceptical.
That’s a shame that no matter how loyal or optimistic any fan is they know
you cant be trusted.
You seem to be uncaring and ignorant to what the fans want and need from
their club. We are your customers and you should be more caring to what we
think. At my work if I fobbed off customers and refused to provide a good
level of customer service I would be lynched. I may not always agree with
what others want, but I’m not so arrogant that I simply ignore them.
Your failings are beyond just the transfer market. Your treatment of people
you have employed is revolting. From the way you undermined Kevin Keegan,
ditched Alan Shearer without any explanation, sacked a man doing a good job
in Chris Hughton all the way up to Alan Pardew now.
Some have described Pardew as a yes man, a puppet. Someone that you hired
because he wouldn’t argue back and he would speak of you like your a humble
and honest guy. I happen to disagree with those people, I think Alan has
done a good job and I think you have continued to put him in awkward
positions. Yourself and Derek making claims that you haven’t backed up at
later dates. And it’s Mr Pardew that has to clean up with the press and the
fans – something you refuse to do. Your lack of communication is a concern.
It’s like you have no balls.
In my opinion your lucky that he puts up with it. Of course many will
disagree with my view on the manager but with your track record with
managers and players, I wouldn’t at all be surprised if that was the real
scenario, that your manager is forced to tidy up after you and Derek. It’s
not just managers let’s look at the departures in this window.
Kevin Nolan – Club Captain. I am aware that the arrival of Yohan Cabaye
compensated for the loss of Kevin. I will give credit where credit is due,
Yohan is a great signing (probably down to Mr Carr) but I don’t like the
stories that the board went back on a gentlemen’s agreement of a new deal
for Nolan. The principle of that stinks. I agree that he shouldn’t of been
handed a contract at the length he wanted, but why offer it in the first
place? Nolan’s departure had a mixed reaction from fans but I was disgusted
to hear that’s how he was treated – on principle if nothing else.
Now I know Joey Barton had his moments and despite being a fan of his I
certainly didn’t find some of his Tweets professional or appropriate. But
the fact he questioned the ambition of the club showed that he cared for the
cause. He shouldn’t have made his feelings quite so public but he wasn’t the
only player to bring his concerns to the table was he? Joey just has a no
nonsense approach and will say it how he sees it. Thing is half the dressing
room probably agree with his views, has that occurred to you?
Joey was voted our Player of the Season last year. He was instrumental on
the pitch and had such affection for this football club ans it’s fans. Your
ego and arrogance wouldn’t allow you to listen to the likes of Nolan and
Barton when maybe you could have sat each of them down and attempted to fill
them with confidence. They had given you dedication on the pitch but you
didn’t show any back in return.
To give our player of the year a free transfer was a joke. This was yet
another blunder which gave others the ammunition to dig at us and have a
laugh at the club and fans expense. Despite how we may be perceived by
others we are a proud bunch and don’t enjoy the spotlight when it’s for the
wrong reasons.
You also seem happy to take away the tradition and history of the club
seemingly too. Sports Direct @ St James’ Park? Well I suppose it would be
rude to miss out on an advertising opportunity wouldn’t it. But it gets
worse, ripping down the Newcastle United lettering from St James’? That
makes me sick I must tell you. Replacing the singing section of the ground
with more away fans?
Do you enjoy alienating yourself from the Geordie faithful? It’s not even
the specific people you tread on, it’s the principle behind your decisions.
I’m tired of you humiliating us and sucking the life out of OUR club. You
may own NUFCbut believe me it will always be our club, you sadly don’t have
the club’s best interests at heart. Your merely a shrewd businessman. Don’t
be flattered by me calling you shrewd though, I only use that word because
you have made £59 million odd profit from players alone in recent years.
Look at owners at other clubs and take note Mike. You are a lot more wealthy
than some of them, yet others will back their managers and want what is best
for the fans. These are basic qualities that you lack Sir. If you got these
fans on side and tried to build the club you would find yourself in a really
good place I feel. It shouldn’t be that every fan wants the window closed
before it even opens because we are worried about who’ll we’ll lose rather
than who we will gain. You have made us a selling a club. Newcastle is a
club of big stature and calibre and should be treated like one.
We have made some solid signings, but how long will you keep them for? I’m
not convinced that you have it in you to turn down a good bid for a player,
which tells us everything about your blueprint for this club. In January
what will happen if someone comes in for Tim Krul or Cheik Tiote or Hatem
Ben Arfa? Would you have the balls to say no? I want to build a team around
these boys.
I think I know the sad but true answer to that one.
I am an optimistic fan, one that used to be very placid when it came to
yourself. I never overly trusted you, but I thought protests and abusive
chants towards you were maybe a little too much. But I’m at a point now
where I want you to pack up and go. The fact I’m at that stage tells a
story.
When a Newcastle fans pulls on a replica shirt that they have to splash £50
(£35 at your own shops???) on at the club shop, there’s a real feeling of
pride and honour. The passion and dedication is something that you have
failed to embrace and understand since you have been here. Although I won’t
campaign or write ‘Ashley out’ on a bed sheet, I agree with the millions up
on millions of people who want to see you sell up and go.
You can’t run a club like Newcastle the way you are Mike, the fans are
protective and care a lot more than you will ever realize about Newcastle
United. Don’t you think you have done enough damage?
So be a sport and kindly fuck off,
Regards,
A Deluded TGB Born 1992