[Albion] If the Albion were bought out by the Saudis

[Hamilton]

Sorry, but this is a completely fatuous, ridiculous comparison.

Albion fans in 1997 were rightly, and understandably. desperate. The club looked very likely to be going completely out of existence. In that desperate situation it would be understandable for people to hold their nose and accept any form of White Knight, riding to the rescue.

Newcastle's 'situation' is 14 years of a debt-free club, playing either in the Premier League, or rinsing the Championship with a full strength Premier League squad, watching £40m strikers in a huge stadium. But whining the entire time, because they can't have a £60m player, or play in the Champions League.

Seriously, the comparison is beyond ridiculous. Its actually offensive.

I agree with this. Newcastle fans are behaving like they have been mistreated. They are so deluded.

That said, even in '97, when we were desperate, I'd have walked away if these people had walked into my club. Not that they ever would. They are just there to 'sportswash' themselves. I hope it all blows up in their faces. At least we know that Newcastle owners will be supporting a European Super League in the future.

Why don't all these hideous moneyed c*nts go and create their own clubs from scratch and run a league somewhere, anywhere, else.

 

[MattBackHome]

Watching PL/CL/International football is an exercise in holding your nose regardless; and this Toon thing is just another example.

 

[osgood]

I'd fancy us to see them off as well.

The whole idea is to sportswash. In Toon fans they've hit on the perfect crowd of ignorance and desperation.

A club where some of the supporters aren't utterly ignorant or indifferent about what's going on in the outside world would be far less of an attractive buy

As long as they stumped up the Cash The Geordies would welcome anyone , even Al Qaeda with open arms

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I agree with the comparison part, but are we saying it depends on how desperate you are?

If Newcastle were threatened with going out of business, are we seeing this as an acceptable deal with the devil, I think we'd have welcomed the handshake wouldn't we in 1997?

.

I'm saying the severity of the existing 'situation' would obviously influence how many people were prepared to ignore unpleasant truths. That only if the club's situation was really desperate, would you expect many fans to grab at any chance of redemption, however unpalatable.

I'm neither excusing, nor trying to justify that - just a statement of the obvious, really.

Or more what I personally felt to be obvious - the idiotic, shameless, Newcastle fans, dancing round in their tea towels, celebrating, are pretty much proof, that at least in their case, I was woefully wrong.

 

[Swansman]

I assume that women will not be allowed in St James Park now and that there will be stonings on the pitch at half-time.

...I dont think that is how you sportswash.

 

[Hamilton]

...I dont think that is how you sportswash.

They need a lot of soap. And I mean a lot!

 

[Iggle Piggle]

As long as they stumped up the Cash The Geordies would welcome anyone , even Al Qaeda with open arms

Bin Laden was an Arsenal fan by all accounts.

 

[Loadicus Trux]

All of us who'd go elsewhere would be replaced in a heartbeat, and that is why the Premier League is enjoyed and hated in equal measure.

 

[father_and_son]

All of us who'd go elsewhere would be replaced in a heartbeat, and that is why the Premier League is enjoyed and hated in equal measure.

Really? Let's say the poll is representative of the base of STH. That's about 7k people walking away and the waiting list dropping by 1/3. That's quite a substantial hole that we don't currently have the capability of filling and no real reason to believe that would change.

 

[Blue3]

It’s a difficult comparison Newcastle or the Albion but the idea that a state will own my home town club would not sit well with me, but a state that has such fundamental differences with ours cultural, political, equality, humanitarian combined with almost no football heritage I would find it very difficult to support

 

[vegster]

Well maybe if they need us that much we should start telling them to sort themselves out, and start treating their women and minorities properly, or **** right off

Just a thought.

Ah but money talks, we have no worries about accepting hard cash in this country, no questions asked. Remember, none of the big banks, insurance companies, investment dealers or accountants or legal firms will take a moral stand and question the ethics of where/how the money was obtained.

That's why London is full of Russian cash.

They love it here, you can even buy in to the government as an investment!

 

[Official Old Man]

Tough call, and one I and many others would struggle with, how can you walk away from a club you have in your bones, it means so much to me, I protested before and would again. I think protesting against a takeover would ultimately fail with so much money involved.

I would probably protest, and if unsuccessful, I would with a very heavy heart never go back, if you feel so strongly about certain issues in the world, you have to stand by them and make a stand. I would obviously look for their results, but support another league team would be very hard to do, the passion would not be there, more importantly the history I have with the Albion. I would be extremely upset, possible lead to depression and heavy drinking for a while...

I would either give up on football or support a team with good ethics like Lewes, I doubt I could watch football with the same enthusiasm, and probably struggle for a while.

I would be heartbroken.

This all the way. I too would be heartbroken but principles come first.

 

[vegster]

I'd Flounce. I have principles but they would be severely put to the test when the spare time created by no more football would be eaten up by DIY jobs handed to me by Mrs Piggle. In such circumstances, I could tolerate the odd journo who'd lost his head or an LGBT activist who "falls" off the 20th floor.

In that case then I can aptly quote Groucho Marx... " These are my principles and if you don't like them.... Well I have others " [emoji6]

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Couldn't vote as I would walk away and not support someone else. In fact I'd probably be so cheesed off that I would give up football entirely.

 

[Stat Brother]

Really? Let's say the poll is representative of the base of STH. That's about 7k people walking away and the waiting list dropping by 1/3. That's quite a substantial hole that we don't currently have the capability of filling and no real reason to believe that would change.

In a heartbeat.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I assume that women will not be allowed in St James Park now and that there will be stonings on the pitch at half-time.

Yep. It'll be very similar to the public firing squads used for half time entertainment at Man City, along with the arrest of anyone exclaiming "Oh God, ****ing hell" when they miss a sitter, in order that they can be charged with apostasy.

In nearly unrelated news are you going on the 23rd?

 

[Eeyore]

The problem is that the country belongs to Brighton because the owner is 'Brighton'.

Also, the club is more of an extension of Tony's life, it is not a profitable venture aimed at making him money.

Crikey, we are so lucky here.

It would be hard to accept anything else. Whoever took over would be under extreme scrutiny.

It's a hypothetical question really. But I couldn't even wish the club well if it fell into the hands of such ownership as Newcastle United- because it would cease to be the club I knew.

So it would be off to Whitehawk and/or Aldershot Town. I might even follow Crawley Town. My Premier League team would be Aston Villa, the team I loved alongside Albion as a youngster until Villa got all good and that. It wasn't the same not being the only Villa fan in the school, and it felt better supporting my local team. I care little for them these days, but I'd soon go back if Albion died to the type of investment we have seen in Tyneside.

 

[Deleted member 2719]

So surprised the protest leads the poll on this board.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Sorry, but this is a completely fatuous, ridiculous comparison.

Albion fans in 1997 were rightly, and understandably. desperate. The club looked very likely to be going completely out of existence. In that desperate situation it would be understandable for people to hold their nose and accept any form of White Knight, riding to the rescue.

Newcastle's 'situation' is 14 years of a debt-free club, playing either in the Premier League, or rinsing the Championship with a full strength Premier League squad, watching £40m strikers in a huge stadium. But whining the entire time, because they can't have a £60m player, or play in the Champions League.

Seriously, the comparison is beyond ridiculous. Its actually offensive.

You're right that there's no comparison, I wasn't trying to make a direct comparison.

All I'm saying is that everything's relative. Newcastle used to be run by local businessmen who were also Newcastle fans and invested heavily in the club and infrastructure (much like Bloom), they were then sold to a bloke who's pretty dislikable to anyone who knows how he runs his companies.
I agree Ashley isn't as bad as they make out, but he's not been a particularly great owner either, Newcastle should be better than a yoyo club.

They've got rid of him to the only offer on the table, I can see why they're happy about it.

 

[Stat Brother]

You're right that there's no comparison, I wasn't trying to make a direct comparison.

All I'm saying is that everything's relative. Newcastle used to be run by local businessmen who were also Newcastle fans and invested heavily in the club and infrastructure (much like Bloom), they were then sold to a bloke who's pretty dislikable to anyone who knows how he runs his companies.
I agree Ashley isn't as bad as they make out, but he's not been a particularly great owner either, Newcastle should be better than a yoyo club.

They've got rid of him to the only offer on the table, I can see why they're happy about it.

So near and yet so far away.


Why?