Keegan situation is an utter mess
WITH the League Manager's Association's insistence that Kevin Keegan has not resigned and will not resign and Newcastle United's insistence they have not sacked the Geordie Messiah not for the first time in the history of the Magpies the world of Toon fans has once again been shattered.
When Mike Ashley persuaded Kevin Keegan to return to Tyneside back in January many felt that the Toon's tycoon had done the spade work.
Having delivered a man who came within a whisker of winning the Premier League (after saving the club from extinction) surely the easy part was to simply back the manager with cash and hand full control of players and transfers to the man who has touched the lives of the Geordie nation so many times?
Not so.
Instead the appointment of a two tier management structure with Dennis Wise, Tony Jimenez and Jeff Vetere raised doubts over who was calling the shots in Toon.
And even though Ashley himself recently claimed in the club's new magazine that Wise's job was to look after young players coming into the Academy, strained relations have been obvious during KK's media conferences.
Joey Barton was always a player Keegan wanted to keep, despite speculation that Ashley wanted rid of the controversial midfielder.
The Michael Owen contract situation has rumbled on long enough to catch the national media's attention with Keegan understandably wanting him signed up for as long as possible after handing him the captain's armband.
Various transfers throughout the summer were handed to Keegan as options but when somebody else is trying to pick a team for a manager, surely there are going to be major problems right?
And the James Milner sale to Aston Villa - days after Keegan has stated his desire to keep the winger - almost left some Toon fans at breaking point.
The general reaction to the storm has been for the management structure to be reviewed and leave Keegan in sole charge of transfers.
But anything to the reverse of that would leave fans seriously concerned about the future.
Talks between KK and Ashley are thought to be taking place over the next few days with many hoping the only conclusion is that Keegan stays put.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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Lee Ryder - Proudly born and bred on Tyneside, the Chronicle's chief sports writer has followed the fortunes of the club over the last three decades as a Toon fan and football writer.
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One or both of them have to leave Newcastle. Ashley now has zero credibility amongst Newcastle fans and football people in general, while Keegan surely cannot continue to work in an environment where he is so poorly regarded by the owners.
Ashley clearly runs the club as he runs Sports Direct. Do people think that he enters discussions with his store managers on the rubbish and tat that he sells there? Why should he treat a foorball club any differently?
BBC news have just reported that KK was not at training this morning, so where is he? another board meeting?
Once again we have become a laughing stock.Mr Ashley,either go now or get rid of your cronies.Newcastle United Football club cannot be run from London
Surely if anyones position has become untenable it's that of Ashley and the board?
He needs to realise that although he might own the club without the fans the club is nothing. And, he's certainly lost the fans.
Yesterdays statement seems to be backtracking after realising the fans are not happy about the way the club is being run. If they think yesterday was bad, then they are in for a real shock if they try to put Wise in charge.
Like most fans I am absolutely furious with the dereliction of the board and its humiliating treatment of Kevan. The ridcule we are enduring as a result is almost unbearable. Lee, I think your piece crystallises the issue now - the only immediate outcome that could keep Kevan at the club AND calm the fans is for Wise to get the chop. Nothing less will do. He has mishandled his position and he should pay the price. His job is to work with Kevan, not to shaft him. Of course if at every step he has been backed by Ashley then it wont happen. In which case Ashley must realise that he has completely lost his market and customer base ie us. We will not passively accept this gross error of judgement and management of our club. If Kevan goes Ashley will never be forgiven. And if he thinks his "ownership" will protect him he better think again. I have never seen the toon army so angry, even in the darkest days of the late 1970s and 80s.
If you are the shrewd business man you think you are, sack the poison dwarf NOW. Or your investment is going to implode on you quicker than it takes to down a pint.
There is a far more dangerous problem engulfing football at the minute.
Having scraped myself off the ceiling over the Kevin Keegan debacle and calmed myself down, IâÂÂve had to take a broader look at the state of English football and sadly I hold grave concerns for itâÂÂs future.
An unfair market has existed for many years, but only recently has it come to a head with me, starting with Roman Abramovich at Chelsea and now accelerated with Abu DhabiâÂÂs ownership of Manchester City.
An idea that would be completely feasible, would be if these super-rich, bought into the entire Premier League, and not one single club, then ploughed a sum (Say ã30m) into each club every season and let the manager/coach do their job. Only then would teams and managers win trophies on merit and not simply how rich an owner they have.
There are too many reasons to list here why the game has snapped too far away from itâÂÂs working class roots, but Sky, overseas T.V rights and rich owners out for a quick buck or ego/hero status must take a huge portion of the blame.
The one part of football that is completely redundant now, is the fan, players can realistically turn up to empty stadiums and still get their ã100k a week. My idea above, would at least allow for a massive reduction in ticket prices, something that should be happening now, as the days of the players depending on getting a certain amount through the turnstiles for their pay, are long gone.
I said in 2003 that the Abramovich factor would slowly kill the game, but with a scenario at Manchester City, where the owner has openly threatened to buy Cristiano Ronaldo for ã130m, then follow it up with similar multi-million pound raids for Cesc Fabregas, Fernando Torres and Kaka among them to add to ã32m Robinho, there is a danger that the game will be killed off quicker than I imagined. Then there is what they will be getting a week in wages- something I donâÂÂt even want to consider.
The likes of Sky and other media corporations will be falling over themselves to sensationalise this latest knife to the heart of the game, when really it is anything but a good thing. There was a period where football was a game, then it became a business, now itâÂÂs becoming a joke, a toy for the super-rich and I donâÂÂt wish to support it, if it goes blindly down the route itâÂÂs currently taking.
Paul.
Yet again we've been turned into the laughing stock of the football world. Mr.Ashley must now realise that he hasn't just bought a football club, but the hoes and expectations of the Geordie Nation. Let's hope that yesterday's reaction jolts him into life. He has to understand that although he may hold the shares in the club, it actually belongs to the supporters.
It seems to me that he is trying to turn the club into an extension oif his business, Cut price clothing of brands that no one really wants, or rejected main brands that can't be sold as premium quality. We will not stand for players or football of the same standard of tis clothing. He either needs to back Kevin Keegan or sell the club to someone who understands our and will meet our needs. Otherwise we will become the longest running soap opera after Coronation St.
Having watched all this from afar, the missus is Welsh so I am stuck down here, it amazes me that only we could manage to have so many collective heart attacks at one time.
Everytime it seems like things are finally getting sorted another spanner gets thrown into the works. To be honest this smacks of a bit of an Ashley back track. When other clubs are celebrating new aquisitions we seem to be doing our best to mess things up again. At least we have this weekend off and hopefully KK will have everything sorted by the Hull game.
Maybe it is time for Mr Ahley and his cohorts to move on. I was one of those shareholders forced to sell in first place. I didn't agree with it then and I certainly don't now! Haway the Lads!
The mess at NUFC makes you wonder how Ashley become a billionaire??? Not only does he know nothing about running a football club - he knows even less about how to develop effective personal relationships. If KK does stay in post - it will only paper over the cracks - the only long-term solution is for Ashley to sell up and move on!!! Taking all of the Cockney Spivs with him and good riddance!!!
Let's transfer Denis Wise to a smaller a club.
One more befitting his stature. =)
Let it be known. Wise in. Supporters OUT!
The structure could work well. Agree a list of buys and a list of sales along with valuations. Some sales will obviously depend on buys. Work through the list patiently. If you can't get someone you want, then don't sell the player you want to replace.
That isn't what happened. The transfer team seem to have been running around like headless chickens, especially in the last few days, with no financial acumen at all.
By all means sell Milner for a good price. But wouldn't it make good sense to offer him an improved package to keep him sweet if an offer comes too late to get a replacement(which it did). He could have been sold later.
By all means sell Owen if you think he's injury-prone and on huge wages, but do it early after identifying a replacement, not on deadline day.
By all means get rid of Barton, but only after finding someone who can replace him.
By all means sell Krul, but be realistic about the price.
Chasing 8 year olds in the US is not a proper use of time right now, especially when you should be finding a LB, RB and creative midfielder.
Maybe, just maybe the traumatic events of the last 48 hours will result in the air (and the decks)being cleared with the farewell of Wise and co as well as Llambias and KK being shown the respect he deserves by gaining full control of playing matters. Or am I dreaming?
Ashley has a lot to answer for, the whole situation is a total joke. The answer is simple as you say, give Keegan all the money he deserves and total control of the transfers. Wise is a waste of space. If this does not happen then Ashley and Co have to leave and sell to an owner who cares and will back the future of OUR club.
Keegan to Stay.
Wise needs to go.
I can only hope Keegan is grinding down Ashley to give him the control he needs and deserves over the squad. I imagine all Keegan can do is appeal to the seemingly ever tightening pockets of the billionaire by saying 'you've got to sack me and pay me a mint, you'll be hated even more than you are already, and you'll definitely have to pay through the nose to attract a decent replacement to this laughing stock of a club. So get that poison dwarf and your dodgy Del-boy mates off my back and give ME a competitive transfer fund for January'.
Even if this whole situation turns out okay, yet AGAIN the whole nation is laughing at us, yet AGAIN it's the fans being pilloried over something they have no control over. There was me thinking this kind of idiocy was left behind with Fre**ie & pals.
Unless the unlikely occurs and this has a happy ending, the only black & white shirts inside St James' for Hull should be on the pitch. The rest should be outside voicing their extreme displeasure at Ashley & co.
Nothing more to say than Ashley's blown it! His time here will have earned him a profit financially when he ultimately sells, which is 'one' of the reasons why he came. The other is I'm certain of, that he came to do damage to one of Spurs' closest rivals to a European place. A billionaire Spurs supporter who couldn't lose, whilst having a bit of malevolent fun. Seriously, how else was he having fun as 'his' club was declining unless his fun was screaming with laughter every month in that Chelsea pub backroom, with the cockney goons he employed up here? Because my friends I assure you with first-hand knowledge that that is what they were doing. I can also tell you that KK and Terry Mac attended a game in Europe to run the rule over some player, only to see Morcombe and Wise in the directors lounge, avoiding contact with them like the plague. What's all that about? two parties of NUFC delegates on club expenses but the manager not knowing about the other? One person must have known, the one paying for them both. Were Wise and his friend spying on KK? More likely letting themselves be seen on purpose to undermine Keegan's position and confidence, preparing for his eventual walk-out. This stinks so much that the only satisfactory resolution is that Ashley sells up as quickly as possible and stays away from our beautiful Geordieland. Many thousands of southerners have visited us, fell in love and planted roots here, lovely people. I've lived in the south, in London and Luton, been accepted with great fondness by them, admittedly a little slower than would be the reverse, but we're all decent under the skin. Ashley just doesn't get it, he never will.
Surprise, surprise KK has done a runner.
It was bad move to bring him back and with his track record he was always an accident waiting to happen.
After the super success of the late 1990's etc the only way he could go was down. Toon fans are kidding themselves if they thought bring back KK would bring back the glory Days.
Sorry to rain on your parade lads but wake up and smell the coffee.
Lets put things into perspective:
1. Keegan is the man who holds the greatest power in the club, not Ashley. If Keegan walks the business will be in a sorry state for the obvious reasons.
2. Ashley may not be genuine despite the beer and shirt, but then he wants the money! He does not understand football or psychology particlarly well, hence insatalling Wise etc. He thought this will improve the club as it would a regular business.
3. He has done good things for the club under the surface such as stabilising the debt, lowering wages etc, the stuff that made us laughing stock earlier in the amounts we paid from desperation. In the long term this policy will help the club. He does not have as much cash as he did before the credit crunch.
4. I bet he now sees the mistake with the Wise and Tottenham jobs. Keegan can now name his price to stay! Ashley will not want the club to collapse so he will need to appease Keegan and the fans.
SO KEVIN: Be strong, they may have the money but you have the power. Demand to have your way and Ashley will have to listen!
In the long term this will be a fantastic thing. Yes, with Ashley, Kevin can rebuild the club, albeit on the graves of Wise et al!
Stop attacking the owner for a bit and give him a chance to extricate himself over the next couple of days without losing too much face.
It's no coincidence that virtually every comment made on this matter has been solidly behind Kevin Keegan, even from those who expressed doubts on his return. I've always felt that the most endearing Geordie trait was that of integrity. Your average Geordie lad wouldn't be beyond pulling a few strokes, but at the end of the day he'd move heaven and earth to avoid stabbing another bloke in the back. It's the opposite of that trait as shown by the owner and the board, especially the odious Mr Wise, that all loyal fans have reacted against most strongly.
Kevin Keegan, although not born on tyneside, represents all the best Geordie characteristics, determination, wit and above all integrity, and that's why he's won almost unanimous support in this matter.
Don't forget Mr Ashley and Mr Wise nobdy fights back like a wounded Geordie, and KK is definitely one of us.
All Ashley needs to do now is appoint Curbishley and we'll have a full set of Cockney spivs, plus a Spaniard. What does that leave us with? A pack of Cocker Spaniels? Something like that ...
I still cannot fathom how wise ended up here in the first place.
toon gave away 1000's tickets last home at bolton to get crowd up to 47,700, god only knows how many tickets he will have to give away against hull next week, hope I've calmed down by then
I agree with most of the lads and the only way that KK stays will be if the the others are let go and i can't see that happening.
Ashley has to get to know KK as maybe he just wants a yes man and KK will never be that....
Ashley has to sell out and fast.
We will see says the blind man eh...
Paul Patterson - spot on - exactly why,after 15 years, I didn't renew my ticket.
No passion left it's all about money
Well once again us geordies are the laughing stock of football transfer deadline day is usually the most anticipated day at the start of the season wow we signed him hes good but newcastle fans are left wondering whos he and a loan deal I am not KKs biggest fan but please Mr Ashley either put up or ship out before the club totally implodes and u have nothing left to sell as for wise and co just leave u were never welcomed here as a player why would anything change smell the coffe mike or there might be more fans in the car park than the ground come hull at SJP
The appointment of Dennis Wise was not sensible, no matter from where you examine it. Both his record of managing football clubs and his knowledge of the workings of the transfer market are at the novice level and certainly not steeped in history and experience. Apart from that, whilst it's difficult to recall a successful partnership being forged at the top level between a Manager and a Director of Football, it's quite easy, on the other hand, to call to mind some of the failures. If Ashley wishes to restore some credibility to both his reputation and that of the club, then he ought to move quickly and remove the problem by dismissing Wise. He took a similar step at the beginning of the year by dispensing with Sam Allardyce when the need arose and recruiting Keegan. That good work will have been to no avail if he fails to acknowledge his mistake in bringing Wise on board. The distasteful jobs will always be there to be done but they can't be ignored by those who stand to profit most.
"Dave Harrison said:
Surprise, surprise KK has done a runner.
It was bad move to bring him back and with his track record he was always an accident waiting to happen.
After the super success of the late 1990's etc the only way he could go was down. Toon fans are kidding themselves if they thought bring back KK would bring back the glory Days.
Sorry to rain on your parade lads but wake up and smell the coffee."
You're right. We're all wrong. Ashley has nothing to do with this.
The sad thing to emerge from all of this is that all that London press gutter gossip about relations between Ashley, Wise and Keegan was right and we were too busy taking in our own back page opium, deliberately keeping our heads in the sand to make any noise about it.
Paul Pattinson's comments are very perceptive. Read them again folks, it's the solution to the UK football problems.
A league with only 4 (max) outstanding teams (England, Italy, Spain etc) will kill the domestic game.
Here in the US, in the dominant sport,American Football (NFL not soccer) teams remain balanced and competitive thanks to equal salary caps at all clubs.
If you want to sign Ronaldo to a crazy contract you will only have money left for 'duffers' populating the balance of the team.
The US approach helps promote the development of more local talent, a huge problem in the English game today.
Also helps keep salaries more reasonable.
The best players make their big money, separately, from advertising endorsements.
If KK stays then Ashley stays!....If KK goes then the fans would make it impossible for Ashley to stay! Everyone now knows that messrs. Ashley,Llambias,and Wise don't mix with KK....Would I stay in a job where I was uncomfortable knowing that I was being undermined and my supposed co workers were going behind my back?....Not on your life!! That apart, how does Michael Owen and Barton feel knowing they were offered to other clubs? Can we expect 100% commitment from them? What Collocini, Gutierez, & the Xisco kid are thinking is anyone's guess. So, for the benefit of the club...does KK go or stay???
Has it not occured to anyone that Ashley did not expect Keegan to stay at the toon and so employed Wise as manager in wait. Wise is forcing Keegan out by purchasing the players that he wants in his team, when Ashley makes him manager, he does not want any of Keegans players when he has had enough of the untolerable position he is in and leaves. The only way to stable the ship is to get rid of Wise and allow Keegan like every other manager to buy the players he wants not someone like Wise with no track record of building a successful team. God help the toon if he is made manager.
I think this is quite simply a case of ill advisement towards Ashley. We all know that he is a businessman who lacks a certain knowledge, especially when it comes to understanding what football means to people. Football may be a business these days, but its a business like no other.
My solution is quite simple, and without sounding like copious amounts of others and pointing the blame wherever i can, we need to scrap the "2 tier" recruitment system.
Indeed we need to get rid of Dennis Wise.
The other 2 can still do their jobs but as scouts for Keegan. We can still have a cheif scout for youth development, but lets just give Keegan the final say.
My guess is that a manager of one of Mike Ashleys stores handles the recruitment process and not the area manager, or whoever it would be above him/her.
Whoever suggested to blame/get rid of or not back Keegan and instead support Wise should be the one heading out of the door, behind Wise.
Plus anyway, Wise's eyes are far too close together and it freaks me out a bit.
My point: give Keegan the full backing and full responsibility of the recruitmant process as its he who has to manage them anyway.
I dont think even ashley would be stupid enough to make wise manager, it would totally alianate what would be left of the crowd, the slightest set back in a game the crowd would be on teams back, it does not bear thinking about, we would be religation certs. It's going to be hard going as it is, just hope their are 3 clubs worse than us, I think it will be to close to call
I'm Toon & KK through & through and something needs to be done by the people who care,the ones who have been kicked in the teeth and made a laughing stock decade after decade because of incompetence & greed by the heirarchy at SJP, THE FANS!! The media is giving saturated coverage that the fans aren't happy with the board and are forming protests outside SJP..All well and good but the troublemakers can ride this storm out. If the situation isn't resolved by Friday i'm in favour of a one match protest as it's been suggested countless times in this blog by boycotting the Hull game and if Gateshead are at home going to watch them. The way I look at it is, Gateshead need my money more and I'd sooner give it to an honest club run by honest people rather than greedy power mad backstabbers. An empty SJP would hit the pocket & sort the good from the bad in my opinion. The supporters ARE Newcastle United!!
It seems unlikely we'll get a suitable resolution to this debacle.
How can the problem be resolved when Keegan's negotiating with the people he (& we) see as the main problem.
He's in discussions with Llambias (Who is he? Has he been European Player of the year twice?) and Wise.
When what we need is Ashley to sack Llambias and Wise. They caused this nightmare, and are the problem at the club.
Removing these two plus possibly Jiminez and Vettore will give Keegan the control over transfers, contracts etc that he should have.
Ashley needs to sort this out. Is he really in America then going on a Caribbean holiday?
Are the latest transfers really owned by the club or are the rumours they are dodgy third party deals true?
Keeeeeegan IN!!!!
Ashley OUT!!!!!!
Kevin Keegan has moved back to manchester with his family.
He WAS sacked by the board who then tried to backtrack with the statement released on tuesday night. (after the fans reaction).
His lawyers are the only ones at SJP sorting out compensation for king kev.
Sadly the ONLY way he will come back is if he is given Full control of first team affairs, including transfers.
Will ashley get rid of dennis wise?. Its the only way we'll see kev back at the toon!.
Remember where you heard it first when it all comes out in the wash!!
from the start I was scepticle about the return of KK(MM-mighty mouse),however his enthusiasm for the game,club and fans is second to none.What does he earn-a smack in the face!Ashley seems to be more worried about his wallet than the club.You have to speculate to accumilate?When Mort returned to London in close season,the writing was on the wall.Had he lost faith in Ashley?I hope the clud doesnÃÅœt suffer too much.I find it difficult to believe that KK can continue under present circumstances.Both parties are looking for a way out of this mess without losing too much face!
What I'm really trying to understand is what is Mike Ashley's real plans for NUFC? If he has any ambition whatsoever for the club then why would all the 1st team squad have been apparently up for sale, and so few new players brought in. Is this really what Ashley wants or are Wise, Llambias and Jiminez on their own weird power trip deliberately trying to $iss off Keegan and force him out.
I'll be as gutted as anyone if Keegan really has left for good, but as a man of principle who wants the best for NUFC he'll have left with his head high and will still be forever a hero for the Toon. They've lied and made a fool out of him and for that they may never be forgiven.
For the sake of Ashley's bottom line, if that's all he cares about, he must meet KK's demands and put him in complete charge, otherwise he can look forward to many empty seats and player dissatisfaction for a long time to come.
I think I know who ste is above, and if I'm right, then you can believe everything he's said.
Who convinced the likes of Alan Shearer, Les Ferdinand, Robert Lee, David Ginola to come to this club? Keegan of course, so the idea of having Dennis Wise (or anyone else for that matter) in charge of delivering players to the club makes no sense at all to me in the first place. And besides, correct me if i'm wrong here, but i thought we was informed Dennis Wise was in charge of the youth developement side of things not first team matters?
Ste, what an genial fellow you are, itâÂÂs hardly rocket science is it? Come on. Get a grip of yourself and stop portraying yourself as a magician of whatâÂÂs going on at Newcastle United. I donâÂÂt know how old you are, how often you get to games, your history of supporting the club, but itâÂÂs not a new thing, the board stiffing the manager is routine at this club.
He was probably sacked, lets just get that straight.
It was probably Ashleys or Lambiasâ idea to put Wise in charge the second the deal was done.
It was probably underestimated what reaction would come from the fans when it all leaked.
And itâÂÂs the last one that frightens me the most- that out of the four divvies in charge, Lambias, Jimanez, Wise and Ashley, not one of them could foresee how the fans would feel if the Words âÂÂKevin Keeganâ and âÂÂSackedâ were uttered o the ticker at the bottom of Sky Sports News screen.
Either way, if true and it probably is that Kevin has issued orders (All from the Daily Mail website by the way) that consist of:
â� Control of all first-team affairs including full knowledge of player arrivals and departures.
â� Control of first-team contracts, after James Milner was allowed to join Aston Villa when Keegan wanted him to stay.
â� The removal of executive director (football) Dennis Wise and Tony Jimenez, vice-president (player recruitment).
And I support him 100% on the lot.
He will probably get the first two, but the removal of Jimenez and Wise might be something that he wonâÂÂt. The problem is, if he gets the first two, there will be very little need for the deadly duo sticking around.
Empty home stands against Sunderland would show what fans think about the sad state of affairs? Ashley must go!
Ashley needs to sort this out and quick.
His business credibility must be way near the floor and for hecks sake, this should never ever have reached these proportions!
I think its fair to say that everyone knows where the problem is bar three or four. Until Ashley finds out the whole story, not just the one from two interested parties in the form of the Board for that can be none other than distorted.
Get a grip Ashley.
LetâÂÂs face it. None of us (including you Chronicle guys) know where the truth lies in this debacle. We can speculate till the cows come home about who said this and who did what and I notice that the usual number of âÂÂclub insidersâ and âÂÂa source close to the clubâ appear to have multiplied judging by the various versions of the story we are hearing at the moment. We all have our theories and I myself subscribe to the one of KK feeling more than a little p***** off about the role of Wise and Jimenez in relation to the transfer policy. ItâÂÂs easy to feel bitter towards Wise because âÂÅ . well, heâÂÂs Dennis Wise isnâÂÂt he but if you take away that individual from the equation, would you say that having a dedicated team of people apparently scouting the world for fresh talent is a particularly bad idea? ItâÂÂs nothing new after all! The problem appears to be that KK has not had the final say on who comes in (or indeed who goes out) which is crazy to be honest. Could you see Ferguson putting up with that? However, we may not have bought enough players recently but those we have brought in appear to be of the right quality so someone is doing something right somewhere. IâÂÂll say it now; KK was not my choice as manager 8 or so months ago. I felt then that what was in the past should stay in the past and I have not really seen anything from Newcastle whilst heâÂÂs been in charge to suggest that much is going to change with him in charge. But changing the manager again, 3 or 4 games into the season (is it compulsory now as we seem to be making a habit of it) is simply not on and if KK has gone and Ashley has any ideas about putting Wise at the helm, then he has seriously underestimated the strength of feeling against that man. Buying a few rounds in the Bigg Market wonâÂÂt be enough to get him out of that one.
I'm Toon through and through, but I'm also through with the toon if KK's gone. I'm not wasting my money on Ashley.
If Keegan is forced out (whether he is sacked or walks makes no difference) we, the fans, need to make a statement of our feelings at the Hull game.
I call for all fans to attend the match as normal. Immediately after the Referee blows the first whistle we should all stand as one and walk calmly out of the ground. No requirement for bating the owner, just a single strong statement of our disgust at the way the Ashley regime is turning our club into a laughing stock and its treatment of our manager. This would be a visual statement that would make the entire World sit-up and take notice of the plight we find ourselves in and the fact that this IS NOT a situation created by the fans.
Of course if Ashley does the right thing, sacks Wise and gives Keegan his 150% backing, there will be no need to take any action.
As I've said in another blog, there is no point in boycotting the next home game. Ashley has your money (if your a season ticket holder) Far better to have a mass boycott for the next round of the Carling Cup and every cup game after that. The way things are going we won't get past the first round in either competition anyway
If it wasn't for Kevin Keegan we'd be playing Hartlepool by now. If Dennis Wise gets the job we will be.
Re the one match protest by watching Gateshead - if it wasn't for Kevin Keegan we'd be playing Gateshead by now. If Dennis Wise gets the job we will be.
Bit of a subject change but I'm sick of not having any real news about KK.
Good luck to Joey Barton at his FA hearing tomorrow.
I expect KK will turn up to support him despite all the hassle the board have caused him.
The loyalty and support KK has shown Joey Barton is fantastic to see.
It's just one aspect of Keegan's persona that makes him special.
Joey's messed up, but he's young and with the help of professionals and the support of the club he can become a fantastic player for Newcastle United.
I for one hope that he doesn't get a ban.
I also hope that he gets a good reception when he makes his first appearance at St James'.
If KK is supporting him because he thinks it's the right thing to do, then we should support him too.
Great tackle on Nasri, Joey, by the way.
More of that please!!
So KK has finally resigned. Is it just me, or does this not feel like our club anymore? I have followed NUFC since 1978 when I was 5 years old. I've never felt less connected to the club. Where on Earth do we go from here?
I sincerely hope we have 50,000+ people OUTSIDE the ground for the Hull and 0 inside. Maybe then Ashley and Wise will realise it's OUR club, no matter who's name is above the door.
NUFC RIP.
I honestly believe that the best for the club now is to boycott and lose matches. This is the only way to force Ashley's hand into selling at a cut price. If we win matches, then we stay in limbo.
Result may be that we start again from the Championship, but I'd rather accept that than have these monkeys playing with our club.
hull have sold all their toon tickets, I think there will be more of them than toon supporters, fat ashley will have to pull something huge out of the bag or he will get linched, about the last thing I said dont think there is anything he can do, the best manager in the world could not turn this round, the only thing he can do is sell up if he can get a mug to buy it
I cannot beleive that this has happened and after such a short space of time. Asley and Wise and the rest of his merry men have got to go. The will never be accepted by the fans now. Sell out and go elsewhere. Ashely has no idea about running a club. Stick to your sports shops. You are now a disgrace to everything Newcastle United is.
I hope evr Newcastle fan boycots the matches until he is gone and also demands a refund on their season tickets.
Sunderland must be peeing their pants with laughter.
Newcastle United Boycott:
It is time for the Toon Army to march into battle.
OK, we may not be able to get King Kev back - that is a deeply distressing fact.
But we can - as a group - show Mike Ashley exactly how we feel.
We play Hull on September 15.
We can use that match to attack Ashley, Llambias and Wise on two fronts, one which will hit them in the pocket and the other which will get national publicity on news and sports channels all over the world.
The first front: If you haven't yet got a ticket to the match, DO NOT buy one. You'll miss the match, but you'll be able to be outside the ground to chant your protest.
The second front:
If you HAVE got a ticket, or hold a season ticket, USE IT!
Be in your seat at five minutes to three. When the referee blows his whistle to start the match, stand up and leave!
Again, you'll miss the mjatch, but no news channel worth it's salt will be willing to ignore a mass walk-out by the Toon army.
DO post comments here
John L
Boycott - walk Outs anything.
But no talk of who the next manager is going to be PLEASE!!
Keeeeeegan!!!!
Ashley Out!!!
Whatever it takes.
We do not have to accept this.
Mr Ashley
I am a season ticket holder in The East Stand and at the Hull ganme I will take my seat prior to kick off. I will then commence to hurl abuse( witout obscenities) at you and whoever you decide to replace Kevin with(even if it is Shearer). I will then leave my seat after ten minutes and make my way to the ticket office. I will then demand my money back for the balance of the matches left on my season ticket.
While you are in charge of my club I will never again pass through the turnstiles at St. James' park or any other ground to watch my beloved team. That team / Club no longer exists as long as you remain in charge.
It is my deepest wish that all of the other devoted followers (your customers ) take similar action.
I would also urge all the players to back the fans and Kevin by either refusing to play against Hull or by giving the ball to the Hull players and allowing them to walk past them and score as many goals as they like.
Make no mistake Mr Ashley you have made a massive error of judgement and you need to sell the Club immediately and return to Stamford Bridge with your cronies. You are not wanted by The Geordie Nation - GO AWAY!
Kevin
If you read this please remember the young fan you sent a signed scarf and card to for Christmas 1981. That fan you urged to forget the football and concentrate on his studies. That fan who you subsequently met as a young man on the pitch at Nottinghasm Forest when he was helping to build a new stand in 1994.
That fan who's wifE sent your autobiography to Fulham for you to sign. We are your people Kevin. You are our Manager. When the dispicable people currently in charge of the club have dissappeared , please remember us and come back.
Gutted Gutted Deverstated I cannot come to terms with it
Keegans is our man ashley what are you doing to OUR club
Keegan has stated he did not have any say on alot of matters including players coming in it is a joke Ashley out and i will be singing outside the ground at Hull.
Wise we do not want you in that Dug Out get that into your Head and Ashley we dont want you in with Our Fans
I agree Geoff, I for one don't even care who the next manager is, and I support calls for an empty stadium against Hull.
What an embarrassing disgrace.
I am seething with this latest act by the board sacking the one man that I thought was right to take us forward from the allardyce days.
I cannot see who is going to step in and have the respect kk had. All this will have massive effect on the players. The new ones brought in this week could well play their first game in front of a handful of toon fans and a capacity hull section!
Not only that owen,given etc will be as sick as us at the seemingly constant revolving of managers.
Definite action by the fans is required to show the board that nufc is not just football its a way of life to its supporters!
The list of possible replacements has already been shown and none of them would be held in favour by me im afraid.
I am totally gutted about this and at this minute couldnt give a toss who ashley brings in as replacement. Whoever comes in will have the same problems.
I see nufc.co.uk is carrying the official club statement on the KK resignation but makes no mention of KK's own statement. What do they take us for? What ever happened to 'both sides of the story'? With regard to the proposed boycott, what is the point of season ticket holders not turning up for the Hull game? We've paid a lot of money for our tickets after all. I suggest a major show of disgust towards the ownership of the club both before and after the game with massive protest banners draped all over the ground, particularly over the advertising boards (to p*** the sponsors off so they give the club stick as well) but fully support the players for 90 mins. It's not their fault & most of them are probably almost as p***** of as we are. In addition, don't buy tickets for the Spurs league cup game & boycott the club shops. At least that will hit them in the pocket. Rant over. KTF
mike ashley was saying he wants to see the likes of raul,deco ect in the united shirt. gave us kk on the hope he could let people know he is the real mcoy, promised a wow signing knowing he had no intension of a wow signing. well mr ashley i hope you and your bunch of cockney mates are happy to take all this money from good honest people (as well as children) who opened our arms and welcomed you as we allways do up here.
We are a geordie family living in Winipeg Canada. We came home to see family etc in July, the high point to our holiday was going to St James Park and getting a tour, our canada born 8 yr old adores KK, and was lucky enough to get a signed picture of the man off one of the tour guides, it is one of his most precios possessions, along with his precious toon shirt. To say we are gutted here in Winnipeg is an understatement.
Mike Ashley: The effect of your actions are being felt world wide by toon supporters across the globe. You epitomise the stereo type bully-boy boss, I am only glad that KK stood his ground, at least he could walk away with his pride intact, a concept that I fear you will never grasp.
NUFC has died until that cockney i will keep well away KEEGAN IS A LEGEND
mike ashley i think you need to plead with alan shearer to come in and take control of all players comings and goings (full control) and send wise to coventry. now sell up as quickly as possible and leave.kevin keegan if you do happen to read this i think i speak for everybody from the city we know you had no choice and support you for what you had to do, good luck to you and your family and come back soon, your allready missed. eric eastbourne.