Newcastle United has held what it terms its latest Fans Forum. 
No-one on the Fans Forum is at all accountable to any supporters in any meaningful sense but despite the vanilla nature of the way the whole charade has been developed this season, senior people at United still manage to cause a stir.
Nevertheless, have a look at the Fans Forum minutes here and let us know what you think of them in the comments boxes as below.
Incidentally, if anyone out the reading this would like to pen 900 words on what they think of the messages coming out of the club and what it means to them, simply drop us a line and we’ll look to getting your piece in the forthcoming issue of true faith, the SUMMER SPECIAL (TF112).
All e-mails to editor@https://true-faith.co.uk
Thank you.
In an ideal world an empty stadium would hit MFA the hardest. If in reality next season this is not the case and SJP is full of folk, next best thing is to chant at least 10% of the match, the more % the merrier to hit MFA where he doesn’t like it, every game regardless of the result.
Interesting to read the minutes. There really is no point in buying a season ticket is there? Where, i ask myself, are the positive messages at the meeting? The club representatives are at pains to dampen down any sense of optimism and offer very little sense that the club is on a path towards anything resembling growth or recovery let alone ambition. The ‘research’ into the risks of cup runs is a churlish piece of statistical opportunism with its selective 5 year timeframe. If the club is so risk averse and desperate to stay in the premier league then why the hell does it have such little concern for maintaining an adequate and balanced squad of players – as has been demonstrated beyond all reasonable doubt in transfer windows?
It really is time to find something else to care about.
Thing is Ashley has told us his plans now, he isn’t lying to us and going to the match is supporting him and his regime, it isn’t loyalty its stupidity and I for one am fucking sick of it, how can you go to SJP in a Wonga top and shout for Ashley to get out of our club?!! I mean I’m not having a go I just really want to understand the logic and then you wonder why the press are laughing at you.
Literally the only thing we can do is not go is not go to home games, not buy club tat, one season of this is all it would take, I cant stress that enough one season and we would have our club back, can you imagine the pride we would have? we’d have saved our clubs soul, alas I’m a dreamer.
An empty stadium beamed around the world would damage his brand all right. Thatcher used greed to placate the masses. Ashley is using loyalty or more precisely stupidity to placate the masses.
Chant nasty songs?? He’s not there!! He doesn’t care. He only cares about the money. The club is all about increasing the reach of his business through (free) advertising. Seeing his store name in a full stadium reinforces his brand. Empty the stadium. Damage the brand. Is it not worth a try? He can pull down banners. He can ban newspapers who criticise. He can do nothing about people not turning up. He’s a gambler. He’s betting on the loyalty of the fans and as usual he’s winning.
He cares about the money Alex. It’s likely people will still turn up at SJP.I don’t think it matters if MFA is not at SJP, the frequent chanting will damage his brand in the long term(short term might benefit) and don’t think MFA will like it personally. If the chanting demoralises players and encourages relegation MFA will not want this as NUFC stops becoming a cash cow then with TV rights finishing(after parachute payment season) and non advertising to the world.It is possible to do this every home game IF the likes of MAOC and hardcore supporters muster up the chanting each game so the rest of the crowd join in, doesn’t matter if we are winning the game or not.
Never give in to this fat greedy man,not going for the cups,do not get that as a rival fan.You mags have a big fanbase putting up with this Spurs fan,is taking your club,fans for ganted.Ashley is a parasite,just making money for himself .going to war with sky sports,newpapers,media.press,Come you geordies,you are never to stop them posting,writing and news about NUFC that’s life.Keep on and keep it going you lot will finally get rid of that man like we did with Murray.All the best.
It is amazing that any club would commission research into why a cup run is a bad thing, let alone vocally publicise that they have done so.
Since the 1999/2000 season, 18 teams outside of the top 6 have made it to a cup final. 3 have been relegated. One of those were also deducted 9 points to ensure relegation. To put it a different way, of the 45 teams to have been relegated since 99/00, only 3 made it to a cup final.
Many managers actually cite good cup runs as stimulating an upturn in form thanks to the confidence and the positivity it brings, but hey let’s listen to the figures and statisticians rather than these football people.
Yeah we didn’t put out a bad side, and we may have been looking to win that game, but that doesn’t change the fact the club look on cup runs with caution – which is nothing short of a disgrace.
In the 1960’s, living in Chester-le-Street I attended both St James and Roker Park. From the ’70’s I got off the fence and followed the toon. Perhaps I made a mistake! Hats off to the Makem’s great escape. Can anyone see us doing that in the same situation. Whilst I cannot really see me rolling up at the Stadium of Shite it would have had more excitement than the rubbish we have endured since Christmas. Unless you intend to join me in Makem land stay away from St James until the attitude changes. Short of a sale that is all that is left to us.
Its time to wake MFA up.
We were chanting, get out of our club, get out of our club, you fat cockney bastard, get out of our club at the Cardiff last home game. A simple song that everyone can join in will let the masses raise the decibels. This continual campaign of chanting each home game at SJP WILL wake MFA up. This is a very realistic possible way to force MFA to change to ambition or be forced out of the club with or without relegation.
The problem is that people are singing it whilst dressed in head to toe in minty new, Wonga-embossed NUFC merchandise. Ashley realised long ago that loyalty to NUFC will keep the punters coming in regardless of how shitty he treats them. He doesn’t even bother trying to placate anyone anymore; he knows he doesn’t have to. He’s laughing his back off at the hoi polloi who call him a ‘fat cockney bastard’ and in the same breath give him their money…
True Chris, though I’d be very surprised if MFA could put up with the stadium chanting for significant periods of the game, every game at SJP. Say chant for 30-50% of the match every game at SJP it’s going to hurt MFA and take the team down in to the championship if needs be. He definitely doesn’t want that as NUFC stops being a cash cow then.
Had a read, bunch of shiesters!!!
Divide and conquer!! Fatash would be happy with 30-35k coming through the gates every other week that wouldn’t question his motives – Nope, not me for sure! The club is to announce their intentions for next season….eh! It shouldn’t need any announcement, we should be challenging for the title, nothing less…and all cups!!
52.5k week in week out….wake up Toon Army, Fatash is running a theme park….enjoy the roller coaster without any climbs or falls?!!
The apathy which is prevalent in our support is the reason we will be continued to be subjected to Ashleys “market stall” ideology in running the club.
I predict another insipid start to the season with depressing performances punctuated with the odd win & baffling display of competence which will do just enough so as not to polarise support for change…and on & on we will go until enough of a mug comes for Ashley to sell at a profit so as to feel totally vindicated for having bought the club on the first place.
To paraphrase someone a lot brighter than me: There are just enough good men doing nothing for the Large man to prosper.
This is it again, if there was ever a message from the club, this is it. NOTHING TO SEE HERE – MOVE ALONG.
NUFC , if i can call it that. has become nothing but an advertising space for Sports Direct and all the other brands under Ashley’s umbrella. How anyone, ANYONE can claim Ashley as a positive for NUFC is beyond help.
Under this mans ownership we have been lied to, Kevin Keegan treated like dirt, Shearer treated like dirt, Hughton treated like dirt…
St James park renamed to Sports Direct Arena, Sports Direct branding all over the stadium, everywhere!
Any talen sold at the drop of a hat to any bidder, no players coming the other way with the exception of loans.
Land being sold off
Commercially the club has took a massive nose dive while Sports Direct rockets, funny that?
The club was one of the richest in the world, now it HAS to sell just to keep the club ticking over.
And now…not only are fans being told the cub doesn’t want to be in europe, they are now being told they wont really competre in the cups.
If that isn’t an empty shell I dunno what is, what is there to support, is that really NUFC ?
No its not. Its sports direct FC dressed in Black n White.
Shameful.
Words fail me when I read about this in the nationals.On the other hand is it really that much of a surprise.Ashley is only bothered about money and staying away is the only option to get rid of him.How any current club player or member of staff is meant to react to all this is down to their own conscience.If it was me id be off sharpish to another club that has even a modicum of ambition. Ive supoorted the club since the early 1970s when I attended my first match and Ive seen some right rubbish.This lot however are the absolute pits.I didnt think it could get any worse but it has.
Anyone who doubts how much trouble NUFC are in should be made to read the minutes from the Fans Forum, anyone who goes to a match this coming season needs to give their head a shake and anyone thinking of attending a cup game this season is seriously beyond help.
What has been said isn’t through hearsay or from some bloke in the pub, this is written in stone straight from the NUFC board, they are not going to give the cups a second thought instead all we can look forwards to is finishing mid table forever more, its disgusting.
I cant do any more I have gave up me season ticket, have never set foot in a one of his shops, its time some of you did the same, go see a Gateshead cup game instead at least they’ll be trying to bloody win, after all isn’t that the point?!
I agree with Wallace Wilson, how a successful businessman like Ashley cannot see the big picture and realise that the more successful Newcastle united are the bigger the stage for his business interests not just in Europe but worldwide.IE invest in improving the team now get it back tenfold in the future via worlwide sales of club merchandise etc.
Regarding a boycott, those who say that crowd sizes do not matter, as most of revenue comes from TV, then why have Liverpool stated they need to extend Anfield so they can compete with other clubs gate income. IE , Arsenal, Manchester.
They also seem to be sticking by Lee Charnley’s pledge of ‘one or two signings per season’, regardless of outgoings! Presumably that would mean Remy and De Jong get replaced and then we’re done?
The next Loic Remy won’t be available for just a couple of million Euros in France. And I wouldn’t be surprised if Ashley’s made a few enemies among clubs in the French league, who’ll ramp up their asking prices at the very mention of the name Mike Ashley. Fat man is going to struggle to maintain this business model much longer. In that, we can take some comfort.
What really boils my piss is the fact that there is an acceptance that we cannot compete with the ‘traditional top six’. Why on earth not? Even accepting that we will struggle to compete with Man C and Chelski because of the financial doping, we get bigger gates than all bar Man U and Arse. It is the fault of the senior management of the club that we did not kick from 5th place when we finished 17 points ahead of Liverpool. There is a vast untapped market of people who would buy the shirts and the rest of the tat if they thought they were in it together. It’s what happened under Keegan and, to a lesser extent SBR, when there were waiting lists for season tickets and commercial income was being generated. The current management are the architects of this disaster and they can’t or won’t even see it. Even if support reduces I suspect they will try to blame the ‘fickle’ Geordies rather than their own mismanagement.
Hopefully the few decent players we have will see the crushing lack of ambition at NUFC and hand in transfer requests over the summer. Likewise any potential new signings should think twice before joining this cancerous blot on the Tyneside landscape.
Just stop going. It really is that simple.
Just stop going eh!!! it’s a bit like looking for the cow that jumped over the moon…it will never happen
If the club are not interseted in the cups why dont they just not register to play in them. Then we wouldnt have any bullshit a few days before our 2 cup games per season telling us they were going for it this year. Next season I can see the cup games being poorly supported – me & my mates aren’t going to anymore cup games and we used to attend them all. As for the legalised match fixing comments – I think that they are spot on.The club probably gave bonuses if we went out early and these would reduce the further we got in the cups. Heaven forbid if we ever made a semi final or final – the players would all be fined for going against club policy!
If we are being told that we will only operate with Premier league status in mind, and no cup ambition because of the lack of money in it, then here is an idea I thought of while trying to kip. Don’t renew your season ticket and don’t buy single day tickets if you’re sick to the back teeth of the soulless money whore. Instead, invest that money into league cup and FA cup games later in the season. Be great to have 52k fans screaming for the team to win, god forbid we actually do because statistically we’d be relegated and not return for the average 4 years. It makes my blood boil that people actually thought this would go over well with us.
Even if you do renew, let’s make next seasons home cup ties the focal point of supporting the team. Fuck the premier league off, I’d support Newcastle if we were in league 3.
Kris you’re missing the point, the response to this is not to turn up to cup games in the vain hope the weakened team Pardew fields might not stick to the plan and accidentally play out their skins and eek a result. The response to this should be an empty stadium, what’s the point of going at all when you know the outcome ends in a cup exit.
Pressed the wrong button sorry!
We might as well have another open top bus parade to show off our cheques for 35 million and the rest we have got for selling everyone because that’s where the success is.
We might not be able to match you on the pitch but we will beat you with our bank account by spending zero!
Is anyone even that surprised by the latest information?
I knew it would play out like this but they are more or less admitting to something tantamount to match fixing in a round about way.
They should be investigated for what they have said because there is no reason for them to be involved in Professional Football with the attitude that has been displayed by them.
Football is finished as a game if this is going to be what the future holds.
Lets be honest a lot of clubs these days might not want the added aggravation of a cup run but to come out in public and say it like that is naive at best!
We might as all chuck it in now if Football isn’t about glory anymore and it seems the match isn’t played on the pitch anymore but on a spreadsheet.
You might as well save your money and not go to a match anymore, Because you might as well get a few beers and stand with your pals around a computer screen cheering on a healthy bank account!
Better still, Let us have another open top bus parade and show off our 3
I also note the season ticket answer is misleading as it only refers to annual renewals rather than those who cancelled in Jan.
The comments from the minutes about cup research are truly staggering. Game over.
Peter Davies by the way, I just cannot comprehend a supporter of our club reading that statement and still being onside with our dictator. Unbelievable and sincerely hope you’re in a significant minority or there really is no hope.
I really dont think Peter actually bothered to read the minutes
Absolutely staggering they’ve come out with that statement, they’ve fucking RESEARCHED the teams in the cups to see who gets relegated and decided that we’re out. Staggering. Can the club be charged for bring the game into disrepute because that’s what they’ve done? Shame, absolute shame on them. McKeag was fucking hounded for not one hundreth of what this fucking slug has brought to our club. Need to step up fellow supporters, seriously need to step up. This is your club, and fatty has walked in, not only spilled your pint and laughed but is now calling your lass a slag.
So…stuck with a manager who has Ashley’s hand up his arse , with no ambition, no interest in any cup, probably a cheap summer transfer policy…all creativity rinsed out of any player….cocking a deafun to the local media and most importantly …it’s heartbeat (us) is not a model of stability or long term stability….may the death rattle be swift and we can one day build and dream again
Am I the only one that thinks the FA should investigate Newcastle for legalised match fixing? Drawn against Cardiff in the cup in a game we are expected to win, 1-0 up and we end up losing 2-1 against a team owned by a far eastern business man where gambling/match fixing is rife against a club owned by someone who likes gambling and who admit they have no interest in winning the game. Suspicious if you ask me!
Just when you think nothing can be worse than Mike Ashley, along comes Peter Davies to prove it can.Utterly depressing.
In a nutshell, here is why our club is fucked:
“Do the club not think it is worth a cup run next season?”
The board outlined research into Premier League clubs in relation to domestic cup competitions in the last five years, with Swansea City the only club outside the traditional top six to win a domestic cup and not be relegated in the same season (Birmingham and Wigan Athletic were both relegated). Independent research into the cost of relegation over the past ten years showed there is a 50% chance of not gaining promotion back to the top flight and a 30% chance of being relegated to League One or further. In addition, if clubs do return to the Premier League, it takes four years on average.
GG: “If the club finished higher in the Premier League, would they aim for a cup?”
At this moment in time, the club’s priority is the Premier League.
Can’t win anything, not trying to win anything, actively trying not to win anything. What is the fucking point?
Unbelievable isn’t it? Yet we were safe this year at the third round stage and still rested players etc. If we had been in the bottom 6 then at least they would have had an argument. It just proves they think all those thicko geordies will swallow anything. Actually, in the case of the forum members it seems they might be right..
Just had a read through the forum minutes. Who in their right mind would renew/buy a season ticket with the confirmation that our ambition stretches to survival on the cheap. If I hadn’t already pulled the plug on my ticket after 40 years I would be now. Also who in their right mind would buy a ticket for a cup game when the club makes no bones about the fact we won’t be making any efforts to have a cup run. It beggars belief. One last thing only 6% have failed to renew ? Lying bastards.
Mike Ashley has made obvious mistakes such as the appointment of Messrs Wise and Kinnear but compared to previous owners such as Westwood, McKeag, Hall {large dividends}, and Shepherd {large dividends and huge debts} he is a huge improvement. Most businesses have to operate in their community and football clubs more than most but they are still businesses. If we do not have the revenues of the big 6, we can only aim for slow incremental improvement although we should be able to achieve better results than Everton, Southampton, and possibly Spurs {who often self-destruct}.
The fans clamoured for Allardyce to be sacked. He was and we were relegated with Alan Shearer making things worse. MA stayed with the Club and we returned in a year, not like Wednesday, Leeds, Portsmouth, Wigan, and possibly QPR. Cashflow in any business is key and we can’t return to the Keegan days and expect to survive.
The atmosphere in SJP is dire as the family stand takes out the Leazes end. We need more concentrated chanting and the occupation of the stadium should be planned better to achieve this because, presently, away fans can outshout the home support.
If we get a generous sugar daddy, great; but until then we should be careful of what we wish for.
Incidentally, I went to my first match in the mid 1950’s.
Large dividends and huge debts for shepherd and hall – ok, but we are the 4th most indebted club in the PL, in much more debt than the day Ashley arrived. Its just all to him, and it never reduces, despite tens of millions in profit alone in the last few years. Where does that go? Players? No. Stadium and facilities? No. Shareholders? How many does NUFC have again? Why do we not have the revenues of other big clubs? Anything to do with free adverts? How come our commercial revenue has collapsed while just about every other clubs has grown massively? While we are owned by a retail genius?? Is income being diverted to SD perhaps? ‘Allegedly’.
He stuck with us after relegation to protect his investment – great, but it was his crazy decisions which got us relegated in the first place! And he paid for it by loading yet more’debt’ on the club. Jesus man, look at what’s obvious. ‘Careful what you wish for’? I’d take the chance thanks.
PS – I went to my first match with me dad in 81 when I was a nipper, and I can say we always tried to be successful in cups etc, until now. That’s what’s changed.
ashley is by far the worst owner we have ever had, football wise. the other owners you mentioned at least had some footballing ambitions, fatash has none,save staying in the premiership but then in one stupid season he failed even to do that. would anyone on this site, having fatash’s money and with a modicum of ambition ever appoint pardew as manager. if you answer yes then i feel sorry for you.
“and the pigs turned into men and the men turned into pigs……”
I genuinely cannot believe the comments made by Peter Davies.
It is the principles by which the club is being run which prevent the club from generating much greater revenue. In 2006/07 (the final year of the Hall/Shepherd regime), Newcastle were 14th in the Deloitte Football Money League. That includes all clubs worldwide. Under Ashley’s ownership, commercial revenue has dropped dramatically.
Fans clamoured for Allardyce to be sacked purely because of the style of football which was being served up on the pitch and the money he’d spent to achieve it – West Ham fans are experiencing the same.
Our debt was largely due to stadium redevelopment and I’m sure Liverpool or Everton would gladly swap our reported £118m of debt for a stadium equivalent to ours.
The position at Newcastle was nothing like the situation at Wednesday, Leeds, Portsmouth, Wigan, and possibly QPR.
We can return to the Keegan days where a feel good factor enveloped the whole city and sponsors, supporters, media companies including Sky and most importantly quality players wanted to be be associated with the club.
Most fans don’t want a sugar daddy, instead they want the club to be run on a sound financial footing and in a transparent way which engages with the people of the city. That’s probably the exact opposite of how it’s currently being run.
Well Peter I went to my first match in 57 against manure,we lost 2-1……..Afraid I disagree with you about MA……as a business man,he buy’s new stock to replace old and to keep his profits up……Newcastle to him is a business is it not???? then why the f### does he not invest and buy new stock to keep his business challenging for more business and profit.I for one would rather Hall and or Shepperd and Keegan than the shite we have now…..How people can say Pardew is a good manager is beyond me,what has happened to all the “good young players coming through”….Pardew had good chance to try a few out when top ten finish was assured but he bottled it,and the last game of the season he played de jonge.ffs that said it all…the soone Ashley goes the better