Newcastle United's transformation at board room level is more or less complete with Mike Ashley clearly running the show at St James' Park, albeit behind the scenes.
This week the man Ashley opted to front the new Newcastle United, was London lawyer Chris Mort, who quickly got to work by meeting the media circus at St James' Park to underline the exact intentions of the new board.
Mort skimmed over a variety of subjects during his first public appearance but the message was clear that more much needed signings WILL follow the arrivals of Mark Viduka, Geremi, David Rozenhal and Joey Barton.
And rumblings this week are that a big name player could follow as Ashley looks to make a statement that will "shock the football world".
But hold on, after months of certain sections of fans (particularly faceless fans on the internet) starting one campaign after another to remove the previous board.
Now it appears that even positive talk of new signings will be met by a similar tidal wave of negativity.
I mean, why turn up?
Why follow the progress of the team, when all you want to do is slate/doubt/cry or rant about the team before a ball has even been kicked.
Don't get me wrong for one minute, the Newcastle United supporters always offer some of the most knowledgeable opinions on the planet when it comes to football, and that's what many people who don't even live here tell me at every away ground from Mansfield to Man City.
By all means have an opinion.
But why does it have to be negative every time from some people?
And it's the same people every single time!
Mike Ashley is a billionaire tycoon that "parks tanks" on people's lawns, he doesn't mess about in his business life and surely he hasn't just bothered buying NUFC for a laugh!
After only splashing out pocket change so far at the Toon, Ashley is said to be bringing in a big name player to Newcastle.
And he has the money and the bottle to do it by the look of it given his whirlwind and pretty painless takeover in the last month or so.
If he hasn't and the information given to this journalist is wrong.
Then yeah, bring on the critics, I'll take it on the chin and join in the lives of doom and gloom and that the club is going to lose all 38 games and we are never going to see anyone lift a trophy as long as we live.
But what if it's right and we are going for the big time again and signing "big name" players.
And who can say that it's not right until the 00:01 September 1?
The transfer window will be slammed shut then and the new board can be judged for the first time.
What if the future in general is big names, big signings, trophies (one would do me for now), good times and not having to stop the 1995/96 season video as soon as it gets to the 4-3 Liverpool away game?
For crying out loud let's see some people being positive and enjoying making Newcastle United the force it once was on and off the field of play.
Let's look forward to going to Hartlepool on July 17 and making enough noise to welcome Big Sam into our world that his ear piece falls out in the first five minutes.
Let's hear the Toon Army Ultras continue that amazing support and non-stop singing.
Let's look forward to Mark Viduka and Michael Owen bagging the goals to take us up the table and back where we belong.
Let's look forward to Joey Barton linking up with a "big name" signing, getting in some crunching tackles and then sliding in through the new turf on his knees at the Gallowgate corner when he gets his first strike in a Toon top.
I mean if you can't raise an ounce of passion now with two weeks before the friendlies start and even have the audacity to dream about being a decent team with a decent manager - you never will!
For those who want to get behind their team and give it a bit of Geordie pride again, jump on!
If you don't, suck it in for a while, take up something like bird watching, where you always get a positive outcome because football obviously isn't for you.
OK, rant over and it's a shame it wasn't in the St James' Park dressing rooms because I've always wanted to throw a teapot at the wall!
Keep the Faith
Lee
And now Ashley's vision for the future...
You don't often get anything for nowt in this world and what you do have to pay for, you normally get over charged or ripped off!
But you have to say that new Toon tycoon Mike Ashley's gesture of giving kids free tickets for friendlies is a move that makes a refreshing change.
OK, it won't change the world and football is still far too expensive for kids these days.
But howay, it's a start.
Basically the deal is any adult who buys an adult price ticket in advance of the game may request two free tickets for under 11s.
It means that the friendlies against Juventus, Celtic and Sampdoria could well have a youthful atmosphere around them which makes a change to rows of empty grey seats in previous pre-season games.
And after all, these kids coming threw the turnstile for the first time are the future of the club.
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