Kevin Keegan resigns as Newcastle United manager
SO in the end the unthinkable.
And even by Newcastle United standards way off the scale.
Kevin Keegan leaves Newcastle United, just eight months after a dramatic return and just four games into what had been an acceptable start to the season.
Owner Mike Ashley and his board already had a taste of what kind of backlash they should expect when premature rumours swept Tyneside earlier in the week, rumours that have now proved to be fact.
So how on earth did Newcastle United get themselves in such a mess?
Keegan coming back seemed to be the dream ticket.
But once Dennis Wise and his two executive directors Tony Jimenez and Jeff Vetere arrived on to the scene, fears that it wouldn't work came quickly by fans.
The simple reason, Keegan wanted to manage the club like a football manager.
Hardly asking the earth is it?
But instead Keegan - a fine judge of player - was made to work with those selected by Wise and his team.
United - swamped by hysterical fans at SJP tonight - responded by releasing this statement: "Newcastle United Football Club is sad and disappointed that Kevin Keegan has resigned.
"Over the last few days the Club has devoted itself to the discussions it has held with Kevin and as a result of those discussions had put together a set of practical suggestions for how to move forward.
"Today the Club made it clear to Kevin that if he had any outstanding concerns on its proposals, he should raise them with the Club.
"The Club regrets that Kevin has, instead of taking up that offer, chosen to resign. "
And Keegan had earlier released this statement through the LMA : "I've been working desperately hard to find a way forward with the directors, but sadly that has not proved possible.
"It's my opinion that a manager must have the right to manage and that clubs should not impose upon any manager any player that he does not want."
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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Lee Ryder - Proudly born and bred on Tyneside, has followed the fortunes of the club over the last three decades as a Toon fan and football writer.
A sad day for NUFC. It will be interesting too see the response of fans at the Hull home game. I wish i could get a refund for my families season tickets.
JUST WHO ARE THESE CLOWNS RUINING OUR CLUB......THIS WILL TAKE LIGHTYEARS TO RECOVER FROM
Well, that's me finished. I've supported them since I was little and have been going to games since I was nine or ten and now I'm pushing fifty. No more.
You'd have to seriously question the kind of manager who would be prepared to work for this regime under these conditions.
I wonder how many people will be fickle enough to ruin the boycott. Are you going Lee? Alan? Let's hope the local BBC give it a miss too.
well the seasons over as far as im concerned...i wont be watching another game until ashley and wise are out....and at the risk of this not being posted....MIke ashley is the biggest rsole on the planet
Bring in the Indians! They would be 'Wise' enough to kick out the cockneys and bring Kev back!
Been loyal supporter for 30+ years this is final straw,just cut up my season ticket and will never return.I urge all fans to stay away,our club is a complete laughing stock.I'll be watching Hartlepool from now on.Even thought about watching makems,but will keep that on hold for now.Ashley out!
"It's my opinion that a manager must have the right to manage and that clubs should not impose upon any manager any player that he does not want."
Here here Kevin.Tragic day for Newcastle and i hope the fans let the club know without any doubt, how they feel.
I can remember lots of rubbish times since I first saw Milburn and White at St James's, but this is the worst day ever.
Agree with you Tad - maybe Gateshead will get more support now The new players must wonder what they have come to and what spineless individual knowing what we now know about the running of the club, would want to come and manage our club. I first went to Newcastle in 1965 after having plagued my Dad to take his daughter to a game and the rest is history. It now really will be history unfortunately we all keep on saying that and I really think that this time a stand has to be taken. We've spent 6 million this summer does that really look like a club with ambition??!! Ambition for the championship perhaps - well Dennis Wise you found it at Leeds - a proud club broken, and you could relive it here at St James;
Newcastle dis-United. What a joke. Lets hope Dennis Wise shows he's as honourable as KK and resigns before Ashley can make him manager. 3 points to Hull coming up eh?
WE MUST BOYCOTT WE OWE OURSELVES AND KEEGAN THAT MUCH NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE A STAND.
I am stunned. I am sad. I am angry.
I am a supporter since the early fifties, but nothing like this before.
My heart beats like a drum, it beats for KK who were left with no other choise then to leave the club.
Mr Ashley & Co, take the right decision, step down, leave this club to someone who loves football and knows how to treat the players, the manager and the supporters and above all the club Newcastle United.
I´m not quitting as a fan, but Mr Ashley you´ve smacked right in the face, is that the thanks I get for over 50 years of true support?
Get out!!!
Olle /Sweden
I am stunned. I am sad. I am angry.
I am a supporter since the early fifties, but nothing like this before.
My heart beats like a drum, it beats for KK who were left with no other choise then to leave the club.
Mr Ashley & Co, take the right decision, step down, leave this club to someone who loves football and knows how to treat the players, the manager and the supporters and above all the club Newcastle United.
I´m not quitting as a fan, but Mr Ashley you´ve smacked right in the face, is that the thanks I get for over 50 years of true support?
Olle /Sweden
I am sick of Mike Ashley and his broken promises he said he would invest money but hasnt put any money in to players he is stripping newcastle of all its assets and selling them off cheap i wont be going back to st james,s park till ashley is out. How come others teams think newcastle want instant success with keagan or bobboy robson we didnt win anything but both are Heroes in newcastle because both understood what the club mean to the fans and the pashion that comes with it Mike Ashley does not and should leave the club and bring wise with him they both are not welcome at newcastle. I cant c mr asley sitting with the fans at the next away game but hope he does lol Rich (Newcastle fan)
Mike Ashley was mad to bring in Dennis Wise in the first place, the other two directors... who are they? They have never spoken about their intentions or plans and simply used Keegan as a figurehead to hide behind.
If Wise thinks he'll be able to step out onto the touchline as manager of Newcastle he's having a laugh - he was hated as a player when he visited SJP, it 100 times worse now.
Very dissapointed and wish the best to KK.
Season ticket holders.
How about all turn up for the Hull game.
Voice our support for keegan
Wait till Ashley sits down or the match kicks off (which ever the latter)
Then allwalk out.
What a sight that would be for the cameras.
The look on ashleys face PRICELESS
This news is just the last straw.We saw it coming with the farcical non event of the
latest set of new imports.
It all looks carefully contrived to drive out
the manager KK,who should have been organising
the whole show.
Time to sell up now Mr A, make sure it goes
to real big timers who don't go for penny
pinching: that aint modern Premiership.
Kenny
its a disgrace, the only manager who could have taken this club forward after the shambles of the last few years, but no, they had to tinker with his management and try force their ideas upon kevin , they have drove the man from his job and forced him to quit, wise made a mess of his time at leeds, is he gonna do the same to us, it is up to us to make sure that he does not get the job, im not sure who i want to get it, but not him, its another black day in newcastle united's history.
This news is just the last straw.We saw it coming with the farcical non event of the
latest set of new imports.
It all looks carefully contrived to drive out
the manager KK,who should have been organising
the whole show.
Time to sell up now Mr A, make sure it goes
to real big timers who don't go for penny
pinching: that aint modern Premiership.
Kenny
Yep that's it for me.
Until Ashley goes.
The toon was buzzing again it was great.
We'd started to play some good football.
Another season and a bit of cash Kevin would have had us pushing the top four.
This Llambias guy's to blame.
Along with Ashley for appointing him.
Boycott all merchandise and Ashley's shops.
Don't go to games.
Until he's gone.
Keeeeeeeegan!!!!
I think there are big financial problems at the club as demonstrated by the season ticket fiasco as well as the alleged attempts to sell Owen and Barton on Monday. All Newcastle fans want is a well run football club that has a little bit of ambition. I am in favour of a boycott and I won't be renewing my season ticket next year...
so were are all the 'give ashley time' supporters now.
this guy somehow has to be forced into selling up very sharpish and taking the likes of wise, llambias, vetere, jimenez with him.
you can bet none of these will be seen next saturday.
how can ashley want joey out but employs a litle prick called wise , beats taxi driver up, breaks a players jaw while he sleeps stinks of double standards.
i really fear for the club as long as this total idiot owns this club.
next saturday 52,000 fans have to be outside the ground cheering keegans name from 3.00 until 4.50pm.
before kick off at half time and full time let ashley and wise KNOW EXACTLY HOW DESPISED THEY ARE.
BOYCOTT BUYING PROGRAMS, SUPPORTERS SHOP, ETC
DO NOT LINE THIS BUFFOONS POCKETS ANYMORE THAN HE'S HAS ALREADY SHAFTED FROM US
THERE'S ONLY ONE KEVIN KEEGAN, HE WILL BE REMEMBERED LONG AFTER THE ASHLEYS OF THIS WORLD HAVE GONE.
WE WILL ALWAYS BE GREAT FANS , BUT NEVER A GREAT CLUB UNTIL SOMEONE RIDS THE CANCER RUNNING THROUGH ARE CLUB, IT'S BEEN GOING ON FAR FAR TOO LONG NOW , WE AS FANS HAVE TO START VOTING WITH ARE FEET.
Time for NUFC to be bought out by the fans!...If season ticket holders could find £1500 for a 3 year deal then why not another 3 or 4 grand each clubbed together we can buy out Ashley and his motly crew, or even become the majority shareholder. Imagine that - the Toon actually owned and run by its supporters!!....More realistically Ashley has had it and will now sell up as quickly as possible, having made his quick bucks from ticket sales, TV rights and KK mania. I would far rather have a happy stable club that belonged to the community than the Toon club the way it is at the moment. Am absolutely devastated as a supporter and feel so very sorry for KK. True fans will come to the Hull match, but there will be MAJOR demonstrations....question is where do we go from here??...
Are Paddy Power offering odd on Mike Ashley bottling it (I mean having "prior business engagement overseas") and not turning up to the Hull game?
and the official line finally comes..and of course thye try to blame keegan...what a coward...hiding behind yes men and bureaucracy...good by for now kevin...you too good for the people who are ruining our club....
I'm from Singapore and I've been a Newcastle fan for 18 years. However from today onwards i will no longer be one. Newcastle have let me down too many times these few years. How many managers have Newcastle changed ? When Ashley came in i thought Newcastle is about to become the next chelsea. With a billionaire owner and keegan back lets give the big four a fight for their money. However Newcastle has been spinning out of control. I'm really heart broken with the news of Keegan's departure. Newcastle has let me down again. It pains me to make this decision but from today onwards i will never watch a single newcastle match again.
RIP Newcastle 1990 - 2008
That's it! I'm totally gutted by what has happened. Who the **** does Ashley think he is? We had one chance to get back to where we once were (and get beyond that in time) and now that chance has gone. I see no reason to support the club anymore and I actually burned my shirt in the back yard today! I'm totally gutted and I urge all fans to stay outside the Stadium for the Hull game and all fullowing games until Ashley is gone. An empy SJP will send the message
King Kev Forever
What a shambles laughing stack of the football world again.Got my ticket for next three years and have just been online banking to cancel my direct debit so Ashley will not be getting any more out of me. Just like Morecambe and Wise but without the comedy.When will this end. R.I.P King Kev always a legend and good luck in the future.
Well where do I start,
Gutted at the moment .... feels a bit like a death in the family or being dropped by the girl you adore .... an empty feeling and sort of numb and helpless
If I could I think would happily inflict cruel painful torture on Mr Ashleys little henchmen who have had the pure audacity to belittle and humiliate the man I thought of as a second dad,a "football god" the saviour of all my footballing hopes and dreams
I will not be attending the Hull game and I pray for a fans collective attempt to get our season ticket money back - damaged goods
Thanks for the fleeting bliss you afforded me Mr Keegan - forever welcome in my heart
Ashley and co please leave our sight on the next 125 to Kings Cross
Ex fan
I hope all the fans unite to protest against this disgraceful nonsense.
Well, confirmed as another sad day in the history of OUR CLUB. I posted a few days ago, and knew then, that KK being a man of principles would not tolerate being treated in this manner.
I wrote an email to the club to express my disgust, then printed it and faxed it to them as well! I URGE ALL OF YOU TO DO THE SAME.
I love our club but am sickened by the actions of those with the "power" to ruin our dreams once again.
I cannot return until the current regime is gone, and will not invest in merchandise of any kind. If anyone in Nottingham wishes to join me in a sit down demo outside Ashleys Sports Store in Chilwell then let me know through the blog.
Our hope our paths cross again Kevin, but I wouldn't blame you for never crossing the tyne again.
It is the role of any good manager firstly to employ the best people to do the job he wants them to do and secondly to provide an environment for them to do it.
It is difficult to decide how many of the 19 NUFC football managers for the last 60 years have been given this level of support as only four of them have been kept in the job for four years or more and ten of them have had a year or less.
It is clear however, that many of the Boards of Directors of Newcastle United in that time have not been able to perform these basic managerial functions satisfactorily. It may be good publicity for Mike Ashley to stand in the crowd in a Black and White shirt but this is not good management. It may seem good PR to listen to the fans but a manager should manage not seek popularity. Football club owners have never made their money by managing a football team, but usually by managing people.
It is time that the Board of Directors at St James’ Park did what they should be good at. Manage. They need to pick an outstanding football manager, create a working environment where he can do the job to the best of his ability and let him get on with it for a minimum of five years.
If they are not good enough to perform this role satisfactorily then they should be replaced by people who can.
My hands are up i didnt think ashley would do this i feel physically sick to think that 2 months ago i was behind him saying give him a chance and i hold my hands up high and say i was wrong very wrong. Sad times for newcastle. i have only supported properly for 6 years and to be honest i dont think i can watch them again. I feel for kk so much, poor bloke we need to do something to show our protest this is the worst outcome ever. Lets stand together and revolt. Cant believe this has happened.
What can you say at a moment like this? I am devastated and uterly mortified at the treatment of KK by fatty Ashley and his crew.
Piece of Advice Mike, dont go out drinking or sit in the away end anymore.
Some of the people on here that are stopping supporting the club are going a bit far.
Think about it, this is still our club no matter who owns it and always will be. Stop supporting Ashley and co and demonstrate etc by all means but to stop supporting the Toon because of some southerner is going a bit far.
I feel for KK in this because he is going to get ridicueled for walking away again when really he had no choice. I am just praying we get bought over and can get KK back for a third time. I know it sounds sad but he really is the only man for this club at the present time.
Long live Kev
Fraser
Well a good analogy might be that of a body (Newcastle United), a heart attack ( Keegan resignation), a paramedic ( the fans ) and the attempted resusatation (protest and boycotts).
We as the paramedic must act quickly in keeping the brain alive until the body can be repaired and the heart be restarted.
If we are not united and decisive in our attempt to fix our club we as fans will slip back into putting up with the great injustice we have suffered too long and unless Kevin is welcomed back within a short period of time he will be lost to us forever
So its all well and good saying our protests will hurt our teams morale and stuff like true fans show support through thick and thin. The reality is we only get one chance at reviving this club - IF WE MISS THE OPPORTUNITY - We stand to lose what is most precious for good.
Support your local Anti Ashley Campaign
We should be sending letters to the club to express our anger and dismay. emails won't do.
Then, at the Hull game, attendees, if any, should express their views very vocally. Boo the 'manager', whoever he is (unless its Fergusson or Wenger).
I've never been so angry before.
I got Wise's autograph at the Emirates in January 2008 - I'm going to dig it out and burn it tonight.
Disgusted.
I'm as gutted at this fiasco as anyone, but surely a boycott or whatever is only going to have an effect on the most important people involved - the players! We've sen what effect this sort of thing can have on the field under Mckeag. The players were bewildered. The last thing we want is a relegation scrap now. I say, fill the ground as normal and try to protest in other ways that don't harm performances. Buy no merchandise, drinks, burgers etc. Why cut our nose off to spite our face, we bought our tickets to offer support to the team. Keep up the protests outside the ground, via the media. It won't take long for them to sell up and ship out. But, word of warning, careful what we wish for. If you think these southerners are remote and have no affinity, what of Indians or Arabs?? We wanted FF out and got it, wanted BS out and got it.
i hope kk hasnt been gagged for him to get his pay off.he needs to tell the world what kind of shambolic regime he was working under and what role mad eyes wise had over him.
Lets re-fresh ourselves on the respective qualities of Wise as a player and Keegan. No comparison - Keegan was exciting, brought energy and style as a player and as a manager. Wise was a joureyman as a player and as a manager.
Keegan was the best thing for Newcastle - instead we can look forward to the likes of Owen being on the next train out.
Ashley may be a businessman but clearly not one suitable to football
This whole situation makes me wonder how much interest Ashley has in the team and what his role is as owner. Reports say Llambias and Wise are to blame for the team's transfer problems and Keegan's exit, not any problems between Keegan and Ashley. I tend to believe this take on the situation. Presumably had the transfer "brain trust" attempted to sign other players, Ashley would have provided the funds.
I see no problem with Ashley taking an arms-length approach to owning the team. He doens't have a background in football and doesn't have to micro-manage. I do think, however, as a businessman he has made three important mistakes: he made an awful mistake in judging Llambias and Wise to be good for the team, he has left those two and Jimenez run around unsupervised--no one keeps them in line or holds them accountable, and he disregards the fact that losing the public opinion battle and making the headlines for the wrong reasons will only serve to hurt the return on his investment.
Under the current management structure, I don't see why any decent manager would want to take charge at Newcastle. Redknapp gave a great interview the other day about the situation and should serve as a warning to any would-be candidates.
To the people of Newcastle,
This time last year I travelled from Tasmania Australia to your great city to do the tour of St James Park. I went from top to bottom, I marvelled at you computer set up for the schools educational program, I had the photos taken, I soaked up the atmosphere of that great stadium and I brought all the memorabilia. The memory of that day will stay with me for a long time. You all have a special place there don’t let the likes of Wise and co take it from you.
Blacky is right no matter how much it pains you all you must protest! This is way beyond your feelings of duty to support the club at all times, you let them get away with this without some pain it’s all over. It won’t bring the mighty Kev back but it will go a fair way to cutting out that boil on the backside of you great club namely Dennis Wise.
For the sake of your club, your city and your pride mobilise your supporter groups, mobilise your neighbourhood and show Ashley & his Muppets you don’t want them.,. You are up against winning the war but you certainly have the people power to make change. Ashley might be the owner but it was your club long before he came along and will be for many years longer.
Regards
Peter Grubb
Hobart Tasmania Aus
That does it for me also - I would not give the clowns and fools hellbent on the ruination of our great club any support whatsoever. Keegan is best out of this farce.
I never though I would think such thoughts, but I hope that the stadion is near empty for Hull's visit. What price relegation finally?
Saddest day since King Kev left the first time. I have been a loyal supporter since the dark days when King Kev first took over when the team was in big trouble many many years ago, and I have been through thick and thin, buying replica kits etc.. but this is the final straw. Mike Ashley, Dennis Wise (how ironic) et all has spoiled and broken a great team, and has cheated each and every loyal supporter with the ultimate betrayal - forcing Keegan out. I will wait for a new ownership regime to take over from Ashley, before I watch another game as I can't bear to see us in a relegation scrap fight. Ashley - take your Billions and leave us Toon alone.
Great idea G Wilson - imagine if all NUFC supporters turned up and then walked out at the start of the game. That would look great on TV and would show KK how much he is loved by the NUFC fans.
Sack the Board and bring back KK
Good luck Kev Keegan - we'll miss you !!!
If you have any self respect as a Geordie you will boycott the Hull match and those that follow until this regime goes. Think of it as being cruel to be kind instead of selfish, self interest. Lets hope this Indian rumour is true, I live in the states and it is all over the news here also. Any decent business man with moneyy and half a brain should see this as potential. Meaning if we get this kind of media attention without success, just think what it would be like if managed carefully the potential is mind boggling.
Like many I have been a loyal and faithful suporter from the day my father took me to stand in the Gallowgate end when I was nine years old. Fifteen years later I took my son to his first game at the family enclosure in the Milburn stand. In 1996 I moved to New Zealand - but still follow my team on a daily basis and spend hundreds of NZ Dollars a year on merchandise. Newcastle is my home and the thousands, hundreds of thousands of suporters are my family. Today I am in mourning, I am bewildered and deeply hurt. I am embarressed that once again my club and family are the laughing stock of the football world.
Bill shankley once said "football is not about life and death - it's more important tnat that". Thats what Newcastle means to me and thousands of others. I feel terrible for the players, I respect and admire Kevin for his stand and decision. There is only one way forward. Show your contempt for this den of vipers, this management of lounge lizards. Boycott the game, boycott the shops, have your say.
I will be watching and following local football from now on. It's the Wellington Pheonix for me. I can't believe I have said that and mean it.
As I've groused before, Ashley running this club is nonsense. He's only now getting a clue about what makes NUFC different.
Ashley will have to sell. Perhaps we'll have to drop into the Championship to ruin his economics and get him to sell but at the same time, he might see the ominous signs of doom and get the heck out of town while he's still got something to sell. I hope the Hull boycott happens, the sight of the empty stands should be terrifying to those trying to balance the books.
Lets hope fans do boycott the home games from now on! And those that dont (cos there will be some) need to show there support for KK, chant for him geordies!!!!
This club is a disgrace but me bein a geordie ill still be stupid enough to support them, whats the chances on another PR stunt and Alan Shearer being approached? I hope Big Al reads this, dont take it Alan please theyll ruin you as well!
Sadly, there are fans out there who would turn up even if the owner of the club called local women 'dogs' and the rest of us thick and stupid for buying their lousy rip-off replica shirts. Absolutely no integrity.
I have to admit, I also think it's time for the players to take a stand too.
Disappointed that the media (with free tickets in hand) has already moved on to idle speculation about who's for the job next.
Pity that when KK was appointed the national press aw this as an opportunity to rubbish him; pity that their reports of conflict with Wise and Ashley were dismissed by fans and local media because, hey, you've always been after us (which I firmly believe to be the case, admittedly).They - and we - should've looked at this in a wider context of owners telling managers what to do. Man City last season, West Ham and the constant whining of Benitez. He may have a point after all.
I wouldn't go back if they appointed Ferguson and he brought Tevez with him. Except, of course, he wouldn't put up with being told what to do by Ashley and Wise.
I wonder what fool will. I won't.
See below for another post of mine on another site the day after Ashley took charge. This isn't we saying "I told you so", but trying to hopefully show that this is exactly the sort of behaviour we should expect from King Prat (aka Ashley)..............
"Just had a couple of emails from the old director of my former company (names changed to protect the innocent). He was less than complimentary about our new potential owner to say the least. I’m not going to post here exactly what he said, not wanting to be sued for slander by a billionaire, but my “contact� has known him for a long time (upwards of 25 years) and let’s just say his opinion of him is not especially high.
Basically, it was suggested that: “..he only wants to be bigger than Wigan and Dave Whelen� and “…he thinks the public are idiots and treats them as such�. Then again he also rightly points out that the only thing he has ever lost money on was his marriage so he must have something going for him.
Time will tell."
An absolute disgrace, how can a man who has made such a seccess of his life misread a situation so badly? Wise was never a liked as player never mind a director of the club. One other thing I hope the press are not playing rent a crownd at the ground. There is one thug there who appears at the front of the crown with 3 cronies every time the camera's appear. Yesterday he was seen making disgusting gestures behind the lady TTTV sports reporter, and again this morning he appears in 90% of pictures in the papers holding up a banner. We dont need this type of individual who the press love to portray as your average Geordie.
Relegation and baknruptcy here we come.
This is a defining moment in the history of Newcastle United Football Club.
I feel for KK, and am still in shock at what has happened. I was going to watch the Hull game as the last chance before I going out of the country for the rest of the season, but will be joining the fans outside instead.
Since Chris Mort has left we have had no communication from the board. Ashley either has to sell or sack the entire board wise, llambias, vetere, jimenez. Then beg both Mort and Keegan to come back, at least Mort would talk to the fans and KK could finish what he started when he was here the first time.
I am being careful this time with my post as a few over the last few days got edited ..ooppss
But feelings are running very strong in the north east. I have supported newcastle for years and will continue to support them long after the Freddies and Ashleys have gone like we all will.
I like the idea of everyone taking there seats then walking out of the ground ...A bit like our toon chants only the Geordies could come up with things like this. I know a walk out would effect our players moral, but how much more can there moral be effected than it is already.
I know we should never wish for things we may not like in the long run, but here is my wish.
Boycott the games, dont pay per view, no to the merchandise and the last but not least pray for relegation. Then we can see how much Ashley looses on his beloved investment. And I believe this is the only way Ashley would be hurt. In his very deep pockets.
NEWCASTLE IS FOR LIFE, NOT SOME RICH MANS PLAYTHING.
Revolt against the revolting Ashley. Long live the TOON REVOUTION - a club owned and run by it'a supporters. Not just a Utopian vision - If Barcelona can - then so can we.
Let's face it, whatever the fans do now it's too late to hope that anything constructive can come out of the situation as long as Ashley and the poison dwarf are sitting in the boardroom divvying up our cash.
And what are the odds that we'll end up with a Spanish manager that we've never heard of and are left wondering if he'll be any good or not?
For all the anger and disappointment I doubt if the proposed boycott of the Hull, and more importantly the Spurs games, will actually happen.
We're our own worst enemies, we shout and stamp our feet and bang our fists on the table and when it comes to it, Ashley's right, we would pay to see 11 dustbins in black and white shirts. Time and again we've been in a position where the right thing to do to ensure the future of the club would be to hit the appalling so called directors where it hurts, in their pockets, but we won't. We'll once again give the people who are laughing at us while dipping their hands in our pockets the benefit of the doubt like we have before.
True Geordies have always liked a challenge, well here's a challenge for you, all of you, PROVE ME WRONG!
Much as I admire the Newcastle fans I think their reaction to Keegan leaving is way over the top. He was far from the mesiah this time. I think Keegan himself realised getting back into football management was a big mistake and has manipulated the situation to his own ends. What I do agree with, is that the appointment of Wise is and was a big mistake, I was gobsmacked at the stupidity of it at the time. Leeds did nothing under Wise once Poyet left and the last thing on earth Geordie fans want is a so called chirpy cockney!! Hope the next appointment brings the success you all crave.
sadly I think david k is spot on what he say about toon supporters, in a few months it will be as it's never happened, we are our own worst enimies
Now that Mike Ashley has firmly set his stall out and elected to back Llambias and Wise both in my opinion without experience, passion or integrity and not Keegan, do I need to list his credentials? I think that this genuinely is a blessing in disguise.
The Reliance Group with its multi billionaire owner Anil Ambani arrive in the UK on Monday of next week with their cheque book allegedly. Now that Mike Ashley has made his position as owner of NUFC so precarious he really does have no option other than to sell.
I can't help but wonder if this has all not been orchestrated between the Reliance Group representatives and Keegan: remember his "job isn't like the brochure" line when John Hall was still trying to take full control of the club? Keegan walked then, Hall went to the rebel directors still loyal to McKeag and told them that they were responsible for KK leaving the club. They then very sharpish sold their shares to Hall.
Call me the optimistic fool but I don't think there will be a need to protest a week Saturday at the Hull game: we will by then have a "proper" billionaire owner and Keegan will be back in charge. Llambia, Wise et al will have already hot footed it back down south with their ill gotton gains with their tails firmly between their legs.
They say there are 2 sides to every story - why does Ashley not tell the supporters his side then? I'll tell you why, because his side would have to include the reasons why he employed the sycophantic trio of Wise, Jimenez & Vetere in the first place after having appointed a strong & independent character like Keegan to "manage" the team, when what he really wanted was a coach, not a manager at all!
As for Derek (who the hell is he?) Llambias, what on earth does he know about running a football club which despite what they may think is unlike any other business ever has been or ever will be!
If you appoint a manager you should have the decency to let him manage, particularly when the individual you appoint has forgotten more about football than you our your bunch of sycophants put together will ever know!
At the time I thought the appointment of KK was merely a sop to the fans because Ashley had listened to those around him at away games when they said in the dark days of Big Sam that KK was the only way to raise the spirits of a demoralised support, and it seems that I was correct- KK was appointed to appease fans and hopefully keep us in the top flight until such time as Ashley could really swing his plan into action and complete the changeover to the continental way of running a football club, i.e no manager, but a procurement team and a coach who simply tells the players he has at his disposal, regardless of personnel the way they should play.
Well I'm sorry Mr Ashley but in the north east in particular football does not work that way - British (particularly English) football thrives on personality, and supporters love nothing more than a manager & a group of players that they can hang their hats on!
I have a horrible feeling that we are heading back to the bad old days of Gordon Lee as far as playing staff is concerned, getting rid of personality & talent, & bringing in a bunch of faceless nonentity players that no-one wants, recognises or cares about, regardless of ability!
Then, top that off with a faceless nonentity of a coach(for that is without a doubt what we will end up with if Ashley & his cronies remain in control) an owner who seems incapable of speaking either to the press or the supporters - does he perhaps have a high pitched squeeky voice that he is embarrased by, as there surely must be a reason why he has never given a spoken interview to put forward his plans for the future(if we still have one!) or his side of the current fiasco!
Ashley is to my knowledge, slowly & surely dividing the club up and farming out various parts of it to outside contractors to make the core football business a more saleable asset - this is despite his assurance that he is "having fun" & "not ready to sell" - if he gets the right offer (& his idea of the right offer is probably somewhere in the region of £400m or more) he would sell like a shot & ride his cash cow off into the distance!
The owner & his merry band of faceless "directors" have once again dragged NUFC into the huge joke category - for Morecambe & Wise read Ashley & Wise as far as we are concerned!
Mike Ashley, because he is a southerner & the people with whom he has surrounded himself because they have no empathy or connection with the people of the north east have seriously misjudged the strength of feeling people in the region have for their football club - something which the supporters of NUFC are perhaps unique maybe even in the world!
I and the supporters of NUFC to a man (& a woman for that matter) believe that the only satifactory way out of this now is for Mike Ashley to look for his buyer and sell the club at his earliest opportunity for he is NEVER going to be able to repair the damage he has done to the relationship between the clubs heirarchy and its supporters!
I seriously fear we may become the next Leeds Utd, unless he acts swiftly & decisively & very publicly to divest himself of any interest in NUFC & the incoming owners quickly act to rid themselves of this ridiculous southern based consortium who are dragging the club into the mire!
I and many others sincerely hope that the rumours in some of todays national papers about Ashley looking to sell and others in the local press recently about the Indian mobile phone magnate still looking to buy are true.
I am not necessarily saying that any new owner should immediately go and re-sign KK no matter how highly I and everyone else may regard him, but he has been treated incredibly shabbily & with an extreme disrespect by the current regime to say the very least, but after all the owner is little more than a market trader if we are honest so what more could we expect!
Maybe the time has really come for a total re-think about appointing former players, maybe we need to look for a high profile man with an international reputation, proven track record and a personality to come in and manage, someone to develop a 5 or 10 year plan for sustainable success, and we need to get away from thoughts of "we need success today after 50+ years of hurt!"
Please Mr Ashley do the decent thing, and take whatever profit you can get, don't be greedy, and walk away, let someone else try where you so clearly have failed!
Walk out once the match kicks off! There is no better way to send a clear message. Newcastle Utd should be owned by its supporters, Ashley is running the club like how he runs his business. At the moment, he is making Freddie Shepperd look good.
I felt horrible when I heard the news, never felt this way since Sir Bobby or Nol Solano left the club.
Pls protest! Lets take our club back!
Haroon- Singapore
this is such a sad day for the club.
ashley talked about a wow signing...he made it in january he was called Kevin Keegan!
i begin to question ashleys business acumen if he cant see that Keegan IS newcastle.
he had a chance to redeem himself after they issued a statement saying he hadnt been sacked or KK had resigned...he had the choice...keegan or the poison dwarf...wrong choice mate.
now watch your new business adventure backlash more than a charv caught shoplifting in one of your hell hole stores...
so lee...tell us more about this indian billionaire...
As a exiled Geordie living in Northampton,I have to follow the Toon via Sky and the Look North feed.But after Keegans exit,i am starting to lose all faith in football and am considering cancelling Sky.Perhaps I will follow my dughters lead and support the local side,Northampton Town!At least Ashley can't do damage here! Ray
I first came to Tyne and Wearside in 1974 to work in a senior management position in local government, employing thousands of officers and with a budget in millions and quickly learnt the unique character of the region and its communities. I became a season ticket holder at Newcastle United when Kevin Keegan took the team into the first division and experienced several years of continuous sporting bliss for the first and only time in my life. I continued to have hope after Keegan left, specially during the era of Sir Bobby Robson and after his departure when there was a team able to compete in Europe and challenge for a top four position. I became increasingly disappointed and pessimistic and did not renew my season ticket for 2007-2008 but returned for the return of Kevin Keegan to St James when it was evident the team was not good enough and lacked charismatic players. The appointment of Denise Wise was a big blow but the win at Manchester United this season was very encouraging.
Obviously I do not know the ins and outs of what has happened and I appreciate that legal restraints will prevent Mr Ashley- the owner, the Chairman, Mr Wise and the players, especially captain Michael Owen from making comments.
All Ihave to say, and I pick my work carefully is that I regard the owner, the chairman and Mr Wise as traitors and enemies of the people of Tyneside. Whether they are also cowards remains to be seen. I remember when the club sold Andy Cole and Kevin came out to explain why this was in the long trm good interests of the club. Until this unholy trio are prepared to do the same I will regard them as gutless and I will not set foot in the stadium or buy antyhing connected to the club until they are all gone. I am cocnerend that fans should demonstrates in ways which will get themselves and the club into further trouble. Colin Smart
Lee... you couldn't possibly print what I think. I've managed to tone down my language somewhat and only use each swear-word once on my blog.
I'm not in a position to not go to matches (I'm travelling SE Asia), but the club can forget about me buying anything from the shop as presents for myself or others until Ashley's gone. The only thing that's impressed me about him is how he's managed to become reviled so much faster than Fat Fred before him. His stupidity is simply beyond all belief.
i think people need to seriously reconsider the boycotting of games as any adverse affects of this action will ultimately be felt most of all by the team, OUR team. I'm all for protesting before/after the game or even at half time, but once that whistle blows i'll be screaming for the lads louder than ever. They are an innocent party in this, and losing to hull is hardly going to be a moral booster is it?
I am a West ham fan, but also a massive fan of kevin Keegan, so subsequently began following Newcastle largely because of him.
The guy has been treated shabbily by the owners of this club, and deserves much more respect than he has been shown.
I don't think the men in the boardroom understood how much love and support , the ordinary Newcastle fan around the world have for Kevin Keegan. I can't think of no other British footballing figure who is adored by so many, not only by Newcastle fans, but fans of other clubs, and different generations too.
The premier league will be a sad place without his involvement. He is the biggest name in British football, and I personally hope that Ashley sells up, and a new owner can come in and allow Kevin Keegan to do his job.
Newcastle utd really are a special football club, and they deserve someone special to manage them, and you won't get anyone more special than Kevin Keegan.
How can I claim back my season ticket monies?
As a customer of Newcastle Divided I bought what was presented to me ie a football team with KK rightly installed as manager
However the "goods" ie have today are not what I bought! NO KK Ernie Wise in his place - no way
Surely this is a foundation for a legitimate claim?
Mr A, where will you sit and watch the Hull game.
And what shirt will you wear?
Or have you already stepped down from the throne by then?
Hope so.
This club of mine for the last 55 years deserve better than being dragged in the mud by you and your squad.
Newcastle United for ever!
Olle /Sweden
Where are you gonna sit mike,when kev came back i felt dont do it,football aint football anymore,im going to watch non league less greed.
A quick buyout and KK back ...
Is it possible or is it just a dream?
Sometimes in life, if enough people have the same dream it becomes a reality.
Any billionaires out there want to become instant heroes?
Imagine the reception a new owner would get if he walked into St James' with Kevin Keegan.
BOYCOTT !!!!
Im for total boycott of hull game, what we gonna do, sing our discontent? OO! thats gonna hurt. stand with backs to game? arrive late. god ashley must be wetting himself. what message is newcastle sending out? you can keep kicking this dog and it keeps coming back? lets show the country the toon supporters have real backbone. and future management? yep the jobs your's but er we buy and sell the players, and er we might even pick the team. we are a laffing stock folks. time to make a stand.
Alex Ferguson said that the most important person in a football club should be the manager. We have clearly lost sight of this fact hence the mess which has followed. I can't see any progress to Newcastle as long as Wise et al are here, no matter who the manager may be.
We need all Newcastle fans to stay away from the next home game against Hull, a week on Saturday. Imagine Ashley's face when on Match of the Day, there is 50,000 plus empty seats. All Toon fans plz Stay Away.!! Lets show him how he is under estimating the fans & customers of our beloved club. All football fans be aware, these Big Money owners will destroy all our clubs from the inside out. This situation should affect us all...
“The only thing that one really knows about human nature is that it changes. Change is the one quality we can predicate of it. The systems that fail are those that rely on the permanency of human nature, and not on its growth and development. The error of Louis XIV was that he thought human nature would always be the same. The result of his error was the French Revolution. It was an admirable result.� Oscar Wilde.
Boycott the HULL game. Boycott Ashley's crap sports shops. Out with them.
Long live the TOON Revolution
Shock, horror and absoulutely gutted, just a few of the explitives used on this message board. I have followed the Toon for over 40 years and still travel 400 miles round trip to watch them. Agree we should boycott all money making activities to do with NUFC but lets not forget Mr Ashley already has our season ticket money gaining interest in his bank account, stopping direct debits will stop anymore of your money reaching him but what about those who paid the lot up front, no recompense for them. A true supporter suports the team , not the owner, the manager or any other hanger on, our team the eleven out on the pitch in black and white need and deserve our support non of this fiasco is their doing. I agree with a demonstration but lets not forget the lads, imagine 50,000 voices venting their anger at MA,DW and the others whilst chanting for Keegan and the team, it would frighten the life out of them, we still need to win matches no one wants us to get relegated, been there, done that, didn't like it.
Come on lads and lasses lets show everyone, everywhere that we are the greatest football supporters the world has ever had. THERE IS NO ONE AND I MEAN NO ONE BIGGER THAN NEWCASTLE UNITED.
I honestly think you guys are over reacting. Ashley will get the manager we deserve and to be honest Ive always thought wise was a pretty good boss. Keegans gone we should move on now and look forward to the hull match, I will not be boycotting
I am furious that our beloved club has turned into such a laughing stock ,AGAIN , Ashley and his cronies must sell up now if he has any sense or moral. Why bring in KK and treat him the way they have, I cannot comperend it. I Believe the reason was a great bit of business for Ashley (AND ONLY ASHLEY),when he brought in KK to him it was KK + Fans = Ticket Sales And Shirt Sales MONEY MONEY MONEY
GO NOW ASHLEY GO NOW WITH YOUR CRONIES
IF MR AMBINI IS LISTENING SAVE OUR CLUB BY THEM OUT
"Ashley will get the manager we deserve". Perhaps YOU will, Chris...
The return of KK brought sunshine through the doom and gloom for all the fans. Muppet Ashley has now returned us to them days.
I smelled a rat with the season ticket 'deal', but what more encouragement does a fan need than having 'our kev' back.
Like everyone is well aware now, Ashley is only in it, and only ever has been in it, to make money for himself. He has no passion for the team or the fans.
SJP under his control must stand for
SID JAMES'S PARK !!!!!!
I think ashley will stick another manager in sharpish in hope it lifts the mood. There is no go between the board and fans now, who will come and tell us what is happening? no wait, they never did that in the first place.
If fans go into the ground on match day chances are they will probably stay and go for the usual hotdog+beer while occasionally chanting keegan! A total boycott is needed or it will look like we've rolled over again. The board have pulled our trousers down, lets not let them do a 'deliverance' to us aswell.
I really hope ashley sells up now cos i dont feel comfortable with him in charge, we've seen what hes about and hes a pant snake. Regarding showing 'support for the players' do you really think many of them will want to stick around anyway? Afterall i bet most of them are just as peed of as us and would understand the gesture against the board as they will have been gagged by ashley.
I wonder if there will be a free pint if your in by 2:15? The boycott has nothing to do with the players, they still get their money! Id love it if say owen had 'kk rules' under his shirt and showed it off when he scored and the cameras picked that up!
We know kk wears his heart on his sleeve, thats why we love him. The owner has no idea what hes done here, hes humiliated a tyneside icon, destroyed hopes of the geordie people and set the club on a downward spiral. We cant let him get away with it.
First to CHRIS above, your comment of "to be honest Ive always thought wise was a pretty good boss". Keegans gone we should move on now and look forward to the hull match, I will not be boycotting." I suspect that's because your not a Toon fan so wouldn't be going anyway, perhaps your a makem in disguise? Regarding the comments on here and elsewhere re boycotting the Hull game, I think that's a great idea but feel if it's only for one game Ashley will happily ride that out as he will be getting the cash pouring in again as soon as the next game comes around. I think we should boycott all the games until he sells up and definitely make sure not to buy anything that's associated with him or his business, that's the only thing he will feel, Loss of earnings. As for the players needing support, they're not daft they will know why we were doing it and as they will still be getting paid, they won't suffer financially,(more of a drain on Ashley)I believe the only reasons he has for buying the Toon was prestige of owning a big premiership club (remember the conflict with JJB) and the money he hopes to make. By staying away and not buying his gear this will remove a big percentage of those reasons and hopefully encourage him to sell? I know it will be hard to stay away but I believe that is the only way to hurt him.
I plead with all newcastle fans to boycott the Hull game for the following reasons:
Ashley is a big hippocrite, citing he would invest in the team, keegan would be in charge etc, wearing King Kev on the back of his shirt for the Arsenal game and then not supporting him, no 'wow' signing that he promised fans and corporate members, he's in it this for the money not because he supports the toon, bringing KK in. . . getting the fans money in advance, then allowing KK to go, THE LIST GOES ON.
He does not care about the 'state' of the club or it fans. PLEASE lets send a message to him, and any future buyers out there (Reliance for example and help their case to buy the club - at a reduced rate).
We are going downhill with Ashley and co.
Make a stand and lets not be walken over, as we have been by many a manager and members of the previous boards.
Firstly can i say i think the players of nufc will fully understand the boycott, surely they know the boycott is not for them.And secondly, its time to make a stand.Somehow i dont think chantin sack the board will sort it at the hull game. Remember Ratners the jewelers? hitting the pocket of Ashley will send the clear message.I for one wont be a dog kicked for a millionaires amusement. shoulder to shoulder lads. toon army.
CHRIS said:
"I honestly think you guys are over reacting. Ashley will get the manager we deserve and to be honest Ive always thought wise was a pretty good boss. Keegans gone we should move on now and look forward to the hull match, I will not be boycotting"
Respond from Ray:
Are you kidding me? Have you been drinking Ashley's "koolaid"? Wise a good manager?...Chris, you are out of your mind. These people are greedy and wants to be in-control of everthing.
Why aren't we organizing to buy out the club ourselves?
We--the fans-- should own and run the Club on the Barcelona model.
What other club in England even comes close to the adoration we have for our club?
Why shouldn't we own the club together--voting for our board and contributing to the decisions of the club instead of letting some unaccountable rich man make our decisions for us?
It's time to make fan ownership a reality at Newcastle United.
We can be the anti-Citeh, the anti-Chelsea. Enough with the billionaire boys' club owners who don't give a damn about the club.
Newcastle Fans should own Newcastle United.
Wow, so people are going to turn up 10 minutes for the match. That'll show'em - and integrity flies out the window. Bring back Fat Fred and he can insult us all over again.
What a shambles. Go now Mike, you're not welcome on tyneside. The Toon Army deserve better than to have a patronising, condecending weasel in charge.
Toon fans: Don't bouycot, SING LIKE YOU HAVE NEVER SANG AND SHOW THE WORLD WHAT IT IS TO BE A GEORGIE: LOYAL, PROUD AND UNITED FOREVER!
Something MA and Co. will never understand.
One of the reasons for KK falling foul of the administration at Newcastle was his support for Joey Barton, while I have no wish to argue the point as to whether he was right or wrong I would like to make the following observation.
Mike Ashley appears to loathe Joey Barton and love Dennis Wise! Barton's unsavoury history has been well documented and he is now serving a 12 match ban (six suspended) but what is the difference between him and Wise? None in my book.
I took the following off Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"Wise's time at Leicester was less successful and equally marred by controversy. He made just 17 league appearances and was sent home from a pre-season tour of Finland and suspended by the club on 20 July 2002, after breaking the nose and jaw of team-mate Callum Davidson, who was trying to act as a peacemaker in a dispute between Wise and another player. This incident and his unsuccessful claim of unfair dismissal that followed saw Wise become one of the most hated men in the game by Leicester fans".
So why is he tolerated by Ashley and his cronies at Newcastle
if Barton should have gone. Then Wise should be kicked out to. After all he has a record that makes Barton look like an angel
Do not boycott the Hull match.
Our team needs us 110% at these times. We need 50.000+ voices roaring for our team, show our support to KK, and our dislike of MA methods. We the supporters are the club and the greatest SUPPORTERS and FANS in the world. That is our strength and in the end that is what MA will realize and sell his stakes. We need to show the world what it means to be a SUPPORTER of NUFC. It is a religion by its own.
Ha ha nice one grim reaper, now i know where ive seen dennis wise before. deliverance!! ha ha But you must admit he doe's pluck a mean banjo. ha ha thats my first smile this week, cheers for that grim.
Howay thoma? my mate is called george and he says he's proud to be a georgie. nowt to do with the toon tho. ha ha .howay lad.
Become a Mackem it will be better this season
If Ashley is to be beaten the fans MUST boycott games. Newcastle is a unique club so let's give a unique response. Chatting discontent will not make national and international news (fans all over the world do that all the time)!
A mass boycott at SJP now that would make news everywhere and really show how strongly we feel. Just listen to the national news from London - they still don't understand and they never will unless we manage to organise ourselves in a unique way. Come on - don't give in now that is what Ashley is banking on he is hoping the whole thing will calm down - we need to keep the emtions high!
As for the comment earlier of the us (the fans) buying the club - Sir John tried that rememeber and we didn't take him up on the offer, he had to buy the shares himself and then eventually he sold to Ashley - if I thought enough fans would buy shares then I'd agree but I suspect people can not afford shares on top of season tickets.