Ashley Statement

[Jammy89]

Here is what Ashley has had to say about money etc.

Fair point that we can't compete at the minute with clubs who got that first tranche of new money last season. However all the Sports Direct stuff round the stadium could be got rid off and sold to a company who will pay for the right to do so. Even if Sports Direct do pay, i imagine it's a nominal amount.

Mike Ashley has made a rare public statement about Newcastle United’s spending power in this summer’s transfer window.

The Magpies, who are currently looking at bringing in players on loan, have spent just £31million during the current trading period with Ashley opening up about Rafa Benitez’s transfer kitty.


When asked how much money would give to Benitez, he said: “Not enough - very simple.

“And Rafa knows that.

“It’s not a secret, every penny the club generates he can have but it won’t generate enough.

“It’s Newcastle United, it does not have a £40million a year stadium naming rights deal.

“I don’t want fans to watch this and think that’s great he’s getting £150million in the morning - he’s not.

Speaking to Sky Sports , with Ashley not renowned for holding open Press conferences, the Toon tycoon said: “I’m nowhere near wealthy enough to compete with clubs like Man City. I don’t have the ability to write a cheque for £200m.”

And while Ashley is classed as a billionaire the Sports Direct magnate went on to add: “In theory I’m a multi-billionaire, but in reality my wealth is like wallpaper - it’s all in Sports Direct shares.

“I don’t have that cash in the bank.

“People on the outside looking in think in wealth terms those funds are in the bank.

“They’re not. I am nowhere near wealthy enough. Basically, it’s a wealthy individual taking on what is the equivalent of countries. I cannot and I will not”

Ashley also confirmed that Benitez does have final say on transfers and that managing director Lee Charnley answers to the former Real Madrid boss.

Ashley said: “Rafa makes all the final decisions, Lee answers to Rafa - we’re crystal clear.

“He makes decisions on players out, players in.

“But he has to do it with the money the club have.”


The club made the recruitment process clearer earlier in the summer when parting company with chief scout Graham Carr.

Carr had previously held an influential position in the boardroom and enjoyed power in certain situations over the manager or head coach.

[ghostrider]

He can't be much fairer than that in what he's saying.
Wrong post code, like I said.
We just can't go gung-ho like the big hitters and the London clubs.

We either beg for a endless cash on the hip,no matter where it comes from syndicate/consortium/Sheikh or Chinese/ Russian/Qatar squillionaire, or we rely on Rafa and co SORT of accepting the hand that is dealt, with potential cash in the coffers in realistic terms to twist with.

Hate Ashley or dislike him, or have little time of him if people wish, but nobody can or could expect him to compete with what he's up against.
Put Newcastle United somewhere near the centre of London and we would be singing a different transfer tune.

The north east is looked upon as second rate by the south and most people actually think the south (especially London) is actually England.
We are near lepers.

[tooslomofo]

I don't expect him to compete with Man City

But

I expect him to compete with at least one team in this division!!!!!!!!!

Ok we know it doesn't grow on trees
But how come Brighton can do it and we can't?

[ghostrider]

I don't expect him to compete with Man City

But

I expect him to compete with at least one team in this division!!!!!!!!!

Ok we know it doesn't grow on trees
But how come Brighton can do it and we can't?What are Brighton doing that we aren't?

[Jammy89]

What are Brighton doing that we aren't?

Spent £16 million today i think.


I don't expect him to compete with Man City

But

I expect him to compete with at least one team in this division!!!!!!!!!

Ok we know it doesn't grow on trees
But how come Brighton can do it and we can't?

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/20664563_10159156494180716_2286126585745902566_n.j pg?oh=e3258f0ae424eeb4325d822c9ed36ca0&oe=59F6AFC7

This is all clubs spending so far. We're not bottom by a long distance.

[tooslomofo]

Seven of the teams below us have premiership teams and can afford to only buy 1 or 2 players
We have a championship squad and need to upgrade our team
We can't afford not to buy

[toonlegend]

fact is we badly need a striker

we can gamble and go into the season without one with a good chance we will fail miserably and end up relegated again.

or we can borrow 20 or 30 mill, against the coming tv money, - a small percentage of it is all , buy the striker we need and have a far greater chance of staying up and reaping the rewards next season again.

what would you rather do ??? - but ashley won't sanction that. pfft

[toonviking]

Fair comments from Ash.

The really sad thing is that the competition is more about money...

However, Leicester proved that it's possible. With a good coach at the helm. And the good news is that we have one.

[tooslomofo]

We can't even afford the cart never mind the fecking horse this year

[TheOtherTerryMac]

So we've got a multi billionaire owner who's pheckin skint. Why doesn't he just sell up and put us all out of our misery if he hadn't given all the deadwood 5 year lucrative contracts we wouldn't be in the state we're in.

[kingstonbob]

The reason we haven't got a 40 million naming rights deal is because he's using it to 'showcase' his own company!

[toptoon]

The reason we haven't got a 40 million naming rights deal is because he's using it to 'showcase' his own company!

How much do you reckon we would earn for a few advertising boards per season (or do you want the name of the stadium to be changed as well?)

[toptoon]

The trouble is that a lot of our supporters (and, maybe surprisingly some journos) have got the wrong end of the stick with Ashley´s comments. It´s like me saying to someone that they can have every last penny in my wallet and them being ecstatic, only to discover that there´s 10 pence in it.

Ashley didn´t lie and at the time of that comment I thought, OK, well at least he´s not taking any of his loan back out of the club (but it also implied that he would be putting no extra in). People started talking about 100 million by including future earnings if we stay up.

When he made the interview saying that he now wanted to win something - he meant getting a top manager and not dross like P45due any more. It appears he didn´t mean he´d be ploughing money into the club, unfortunately and from his comments today (which sound honest enough to me) he doesn´t have cash enough to hand to inject.

Some are saying also that, Ok, we need to spend some to guarantee we stay up and get next years money. TBF that would be a hell of a risk for the fat man. He has leant the club 150 million and we now expect him to lend more - what if he does and we get relegated anyway??? Think about it, IF IT WAS YOU!

Like everyone I´m pretty disappointed with the situation and I thought we would be making more signings (not marquee ones, however). The silver lining is Rafa´s comments today - he is committed and will make the best of what he has.

Fingers crossed for that striker.....

[ghostrider]

Just remember that a lot of these gung ho clubs are going to suffer the consequences of impulse buying and over the odds wages to match, because very few of them will see any real success from what their outlay is and has been and they will grind to a halt.

We all know that we require a few additions but we also know that this club is in a far better position as it stands to not fall into the dark void that many will suffer, regardless of TV money.

We are working on a wing and a prayer. A hope that Rafa is the manager/coach/man manager to assemble a worthy squad to compete. That's the key at the minute.
Time will tell on this but we have to be realistic in our expectations.

It frustrates me that we can't compete with those at the top. I want excitement and I also want teams to be talking about coming to Newcastle to play one of the top teams. I want us to be looked on like we were during the Keegan/Hall days.
I want Newcastle United to be a massive player draw, where all top players beg to want to come.

Plant this set up in London and hey presto, we would near on have it all.
I'm repeating myself, I know, but this is a rebuild and it has to be a rebuild by a manager we trust, backed by the board.
It appears that we have that in position as it stands, but the backing of the board consists of backing the manager with generated club funds and not plucked wads from the tree of kindness or the cap in hand borrowing that got us into a fine mess before Ashley and co were here.

I'm going to put my trust in Rafa to be a man and work with what he has, plus generate his own funds on top of what's in the coffers.
I'm going to place my optimistic cap on and scarf of hope, plus my seasonal football smile and cheer on this team/squad, through the good and the bad and the indifference of this season and then see how it all pans out and where we are headed from that point on.

That's all I can do and all any of us can do, other than give up and say "what's the point, we're doomed."
Nobody wants to think like that and there's nothing to suggest that the squad we have give that inkling.
In a funny sort of way and assuming good karma, it's possible to have a far and away better outfit than any of us contemplated with the emergence of the glass body crew and newbies that actually show better class than we expected.

At worst we are one decent all round striker from decent satisfaction from the off. Hopefully we get him plus a few loanees as a bonus and let's see where we go.

[kingstonbob]

How much do you reckon we would earn for a few advertising boards per season (or do you want the name of the stadium to be changed as well?)

Well there is that advertising board going round and round throughout the match which has a very small select few companies on. £7-10 million a year would be better than nowt and would buy us a player a season which appears to be the level we are having to aim at. I read we would be receiving £43 million from the TV deal from the 15/16 season. We also had a £20 million surplus from sales. No I don't want the name changing hes already pulled that one and miraculously didnt get anyone to take it up, but there most probably was no intention.

[ex_pat_magpie]

So we've got a multi billionaire owner who's pheckin skint. Why doesn't he just sell up and put us all out of our misery if he hadn't given all the deadwood 5 year lucrative contracts we wouldn't be in the state we're in.

Exactly this and I wish any Rafa distractors who remain would be sensible enough to take this in instead of constantly and boringly blaming Rafa for what went on before he came.

However I'm still of the opinion that we will sign at least a decent striker and that we will get through the season without the threat of relegation.

[Kal]

Well there is that advertising board going round and round throughout the match which has a very small select few companies on. £7-10 million a year would be better than nowt and would buy us a player a season which appears to be the level we are having to aim at. I read we would be receiving £43 million from the TV deal from the 15/16 season. We also had a £20 million surplus from sales. No I don't want the name changing hes already pulled that one and miraculously didnt get anyone to take it up, but there most probably was no intention.

^^^^ This ^^^^

Fatso owes 10 years ad revenue. Be it £1 million or £7 million, it should be ×10

[ghostrider]

Exactly this and I wish any Rafa distractors who remain would be sensible enough to take this in instead of constantly and boringly blaming Rafa for what went on before he came.

However I'm still of the opinion that we will sign at least a decent striker and that we will get through the season without the threat of relegation.

Who's blaming Rafa?
It's fine if people want Ashley to leave but just remember that there's a host of Ellis Shorts out there willing to promise the Earth and pay for any stand out name to pull on a shirt to pacify fans for a cool 5 minutes before all the hugging and feel good factors come crashing down to levels where 1 million is deemed a gamble.

Like Ashley said: this is Newcastle United. It's not being derogatory, it's being realistic in terms of spends and attraction of players of higher calibre, without suffering the catastrophic effects of the aftermath should the club fail to accelerate almost instantly.

It would be great if a Sheikh comes in, or similar, with a money no object mindset. It will get us the best of the best because we can pay best of the best money and even have a real potential for trophies like that Man City style.

The issue is, where would we go from that point on because expectations would be through the roof and anything other than sustaining that will literally destroy the club as any semblance of a club that we all fell in love with.

It would signal the birth of the absolute real plastics who will desert it after a few seasons of what could be classed as mediocrity which would consist of going without major cups or a few stints outside of the top 4.

A football killer for the real fan and a festival for the well off watching the on field exploits of pop star status teams of pampered ignorant bell ends who quickly forget what reality is.

[ex_pat_magpie]

^^^^ This ^^^^

Fatso owes 10 years ad revenue. Be it £1 million or £7 million, it should be ×10

Well said Kal and that should be at least off set against the loan.

[toptoon]

Who's blaming Rafa?
It's fine if people want Ashley to leave but just remember that there's a host of Ellis Shorts out there willing to promise the Earth and pay for any stand out name to pull on a shirt to pacify fans for a cool 5 minutes before all the hugging and feel good factors come crashing down to levels where 1 million is deemed a gamble.

Like Ashley said: this is Newcastle United. It's not being derogatory, it's being realistic in terms of spends and attraction of players of higher calibre, without suffering the catastrophic effects of the aftermath should the club fail to accelerate almost instantly.

It would be great if a Sheikh comes in, or similar, with a money no object mindset. It will get us the best of the best because we can pay best of the best money and even have a real potential for trophies like that Man City style.

The issue is, where would we go from that point on because expectations would be through the roof and anything other than sustaining that will literally destroy the club as any semblance of a club that we all fell in love with.

It would signal the birth of the absolute real plastics who will desert it after a few seasons of what could be classed as mediocrity which would consist of going without major cups or a few stints outside of the top 4.

A football killer for the real fan and a festival for the well off watching the on field exploits of pop star status teams of pampered ignorant bell ends who quickly forget what reality is.

There is some truth in this. Be careful what you wish for.

[toptoon]

Well there is that advertising board going round and round throughout the match which has a very small select few companies on. £7-10 million a year would be better than nowt and would buy us a player a season which appears to be the level we are having to aim at. I read we would be receiving £43 million from the TV deal from the 15/16 season. We also had a £20 million surplus from sales. No I don't want the name changing hes already pulled that one and miraculously didnt get anyone to take it up, but there most probably was no intention.

I see you point Bob but if you take 7 million, once you´ve factored in a year´s salary and agents, for the player, you´re left with less than 5 million to spend on transfer fee. Who could we buy for that.

"Look after the pennies..." and all that but the issue of advertising at St James´Park is not a big one, financially.

[ex_pat_magpie]

Who's blaming Rafa?
It's fine if people want Ashley to leave but just remember that there's a host of Ellis Shorts out there willing to promise the Earth and pay for any stand out name to pull on a shirt to pacify fans for a cool 5 minutes before all the hugging and feel good factors come crashing down to levels where 1 million is deemed a gamble.

Like Ashley said: this is Newcastle United. It's not being derogatory, it's being realistic in terms of spends and attraction of players of higher calibre, without suffering the catastrophic effects of the aftermath should the club fail to accelerate almost instantly.

It would be great if a Sheikh comes in, or similar, with a money no object mindset. It will get us the best of the best because we can pay best of the best money and even have a real potential for trophies like that Man City style.

The issue is, where would we go from that point on because expectations would be through the roof and anything other than sustaining that will literally destroy the club as any semblance of a club that we all fell in love with.

It would signal the birth of the absolute real plastics who will desert it after a few seasons of what could be classed as mediocrity which would consist of going without major cups or a few stints outside of the top 4.

A football killer for the real fan and a festival for the well off watching the on field exploits of pop star status teams of pampered ignorant bell ends who quickly forget what reality is.

Who's blaming Rafa you ask. I don't need to answer that. Just read particular posts.

[ex_pat_magpie]

I see you point Bob but if you take 7 million, once you´ve factored in a year´s salary and agents, for the player, you´re left with less than 5 million to spend on transfer fee. Who could we buy for that.

"Look after the pennies..." and all that but the issue of advertising at St James´Park is not a big one, financially.

We got Sissoko for far less than that and look at the return on the sale.

[pboromag]

He has been honest with Rafa
He could have all the money the club generated

Everyone was aware we had a large squad bleeding wages

Rafa has had 3 Windows to thin it out

Let's hope his rush to get Carr out and use his contacts plays out well

I remember many on here. Itching like Pphuck when ash toyed with naming rights etc

He told us then that he wasn't going to bank roll the club

[Andy1981_2]

It doesn't really matter that most of Ashley's wealth is in shares - those are assets he can leverage at any time to get a credit line. Facebook was valued at $25bn before it generated a single cent of revenue, yet somehow it managed to build a multi-million dollar campus in Silicon Valley, employ hundreds of staff etc in the meantime. How? On credit, loaned by investors against the potential value of the company.

Ashley's statement deliberately sets up a straw man opponent too: which fans honestly expect (or even want) the club to be spending £150m-£200m in this transfer window? I think we all expected a transfer budget in line with the increased television deal revenue. This is not an unreasonable expectation for a club that has, for years now, run at a profit when in the PL. £50-£60m should be absolutely affordable under FFP, even in the absence of a 'naming rights deal' for the stadium, and that's what most people would have hoped for. That much would permit us to sign the striker Rafa wants and the club needs, and any person with the remotest grasp of business and football would see that spending that extra £15m on a striker is a risk worth taking when offset against the possible costs (costs which should be fresh in the mind of Ashley having overseen two relegations previously).

Another issue: what naming rights deal do Man Utd have, or Chelsea, or Real Madrid, or Barcelona etc? Of the clubs who've spent more than us this season in the table posted earlier, only 4 out of the 11 have naming rights deals, and one of those 4 is Huddersfield, and I seriously doubt John Smith's have handed them £40m this season (which is how much they've spent).

I smell bull****.

[ranat22]

love to see ashley crying on sky me like HaH

stick to selling socks to c0ckneys and leave the football to rafa,there's a good lad!

faaakin suvern plastics innit!

[pboromag]

love to see ashley crying on sky me like HaH

stick to selling socks to c0ckneys and leave the football to rafa,there's a good lad!

faaakin suvern plastics innit!
He is a Souther plastic who owns a club that so many northern monkeys say they love but don't buy

All those great northern companies and successful northern personalities who can't buy the club

The last
Northern bumpy was a lad with less than 23 million

Northern rock went bust putting many families in trouble
And the great Newcastle brown ale is made down south

If it wasn't for students I doubt Newcastle as a city would be on the map
Apart from stag dos and unis it ain't got a lot going for it

No big business any way
Hence no local sponsorship anymoren

[Kal]

If it wasn't for students I doubt Newcastle as a city would be on the map
Apart from stag dos and unis it ain't got a lot going for it



Apart from some of the finest architecture and history the UK has to offer.

[pboromag]

Apart from some of the finest architecture and history the UK has to offer.

Really
My town has so much history we are the only town where a king has been crowned outside of London

Doesn't make us a great place
In fact it's a 5hit hole

Which is why I moved

[Kal]

Comparing Peterborough to Newcastle Upon Tyne is your best absurdity yet.

[pboromag]

Comparing Peterborough to Newcastle Upon Tyne is your best absurdity yet.

You are showing your lack of intellect
I don't live in pboro

Crowland was where an only king of England was crowned

But since then I have moved to a more upmarket part of the Fens

[Kal]

You are showing your lack of intellect
I don't live in pboro



Explain the username and your reasoning in comparing 'Crowland' to the City of Newcastle Upon Tyne.

[pboromag]

I once lived in pboro

And ran a team called pnoromags
But that was over 20 years ago

[Kal]

I once lived in pboro

Your claim to fame.

[kingstonbob]

He is a Souther plastic who owns a club that so many northern monkeys say they love but don't buy

All those great northern companies and successful northern personalities who can't buy the club

The last
Northern bumpy was a lad with less than 23 million

Northern rock went bust putting many families in trouble
And the great Newcastle brown ale is made down south

If it wasn't for students I doubt Newcastle as a city would be on the map
Apart from stag dos and unis it ain't got a lot going for it

No big business any way
Hence no local sponsorship anymoren


Mmmm the south has shafted the north east for many a year. I think we have done pretty damn well given the 'help' we've received from the government/south. The south east has thousands spent on it per person compared to the north east. Think of all the southern MPs who have stolen from the country through their expenses and second homes. Canary Wharf had a massive part to play in the crash, much, much more than Northern Rock. Our city and area is second to none, just ask people from the south that visit and they will tell you only positive things.

[ex_pat_magpie]

He has been honest with Rafa
He could have all the money the club generated

Everyone was aware we had a large squad bleeding wages

Rafa has had 3 Windows to thin it out

Let's hope his rush to get Carr out and use his contacts plays out well

I remember many on here. Itching like Pphuck when ash toyed with naming rights etc

He told us then that he wasn't going to bank roll the club

If you were earning £40,000+ per week and had a ridiculously long contract to run would you take a drop of 50% to play for a lesser club in a lower league. That is the problem Rafa has. He can't move the lesser players and can only get good deals for the better players. It's not rocket science Pboro, Ashley and Charnley have dug this club into a hole again and you are blaming Rafa for not getting them out of it.

[ex_pat_magpie]

Really
My town has so much history we are the only town where a king has been crowned outside of London

Doesn't make us a great place
In fact it's a 5hit hole

Which is why I moved

YOUR TOWN, that's some laugh. (it's a city if you didn't know). Any way you were born 1,000's of miles from Peterborough and I would imagine more than 95% of posters on here and on all of the boards were born nearer to Peterborough than you.

And what about all of the kings of Northumbria. There's three kings buried at Tynemouth Abbey for a start.