Newcastle United

[Fox92]

Mido is apparently leaving them, as is Tuncay.

So who's going to score goals for them?

Alvez and Aliadiere should walk the league...

... or am I just saying that because one's Brazilian and one used to play for Arsenal.

[Heart-Shaped Fox]

Alvez and Aliadiere should walk the league...

... or am I just saying that because one's Brazilian and one used to play for Arsenal.

I reckon Alves will g. For a knock down price compared to what they paid for him.

They still won't score enough goals IMO.

[Jon the Hat]

All this fannying about really won't do them any favours. I'd be seriously depressed if I was a geordie (if I wasn't already).

They are not fannying about, they are trying to find the right buyer. Ashley did no due dilligence process when he bought the club, and that was his downfall. The surivial of the club is much more dependent on the next buyers being in full control and knowing where they are than of a few players coming or going this summer. Next season may well be a write off, but those players are under contract and will play.

[CosbehFox]

They lost 6-1 to Leyton O yesterday. Glad were playing them early, they are in big trouble. They could do "Leeds" if they dont put their house in order soon.

If you at the actual side, the reserves were playing when Orient stuck 4 in a few minutes against them. I wouldn't read much into it. They were 2-1 down at HT with their first teamers though. They also beat Darlington 7-2. So it's difficult to predict. However, an unsuccessful start during the real stuff and they will suffer esp. when it comes to late August, all the smaller Premier sides start to panic buy and Newcastle will be 5 players lighter.

Ive never seen such an overreaction over an away kit, which isnt even that bad.

Fucking media.

The story they are covering is rubbish. The club shop opened at 9am, only 3 could be bothered to snap it straight up which happens at most clubs. When the players had the signing session, there was a massive line outside the ground. Check NUFC's website.

[Ultra]

Alvez and Aliadiere should walk the league...

... or am I just saying that because one's Brazilian and one used to play for Arsenal.

Aliadiere was never a prolific goalscorer, even at Arsenal.

He may reach double figures this season, but it won't take Boro anywhere near the top two.

[Radovan's Caravan]

They are not fannying about, they are trying to find the right buyer. Ashley did no due dilligence process when he bought the club, and that was his downfall. The surivial of the club is much more dependent on the next buyers being in full control and knowing where they are than of a few players coming or going this summer. Next season may well be a write off, but those players are under contract and will play.

Who are the 'they' that you speak of? Ashley owns all NUFC shares - it's his train set. It's not for anyone else to determine who he should or should not sell to. Ashley just wants what he considers to be the correct exit price for his scrip - he couldn't care less about what happens to this shitty club after he has sold out.

Your comments put me in mind of a Manchester councillor who was roped in to oppose the B Sky B takeover of MUFC about a decade or so ago. When interviewed he said: 'We don't want Manchester United to be owned by Sky we want it to be owned by er...Manchester United.'

The buffoon didn't consider the possibility that Manchester United actually belonged to real people (Edwards and Co) who wanted to sell up. Like too many fans he had this strange notion that the club had some kind of weird metaphysical existence that transcended all forms of human ownership.

And all this in the land that brought us capitalism - Christ!

[lcfc_jme]

If they get Shearer in as manager, they'll have the best away support in England. Bar Villa, who have the best away support in the world. And Yanited, no shirts just lads.

[Radovan's Caravan]

If they get Shearer in as manager, they'll have the best away support in England. Bar Villa, who have the best away support in the world. And Yanited, no shirts just lads.

...till relegation is confirmed

Shearer had his chance and blew it. No impact coach he. The man is a greedy clueless disabled who thinks that he has a divine right to things that he has not earned.

Here's to NUFC V LUFC being the biggest game in Division One

[TrickyTrev]

Who are the 'they' that you speak of? Ashley owns all NUFC shares - it's his train set. It's not for anyone else to determine who he should or should not sell to. Ashley just wants what he considers to be the correct exit price for his scrip - he couldn't care less about what happens to this shitty club after he has sold out.

Your comments put me in mind of a Manchester councillor who was roped in to oppose the B Sky B takeover of MUFC about a decade or so ago. When interviewed he said: 'We don't want Manchester United to be owned by Sky we want it to be owned by er...Manchester United.'

The buffoon didn't consider the possibility that Manchester United actually belonged to real people (Edwards and Co) who wanted to sell up. Like too many fans he had this strange notion that the club had some kind of weird metaphysical existence that transcended all forms of human ownership.

And all this in the land that brought us capitalism - Christ!

Presumably he meant that prospective buyers were being careful looking at the books. My understanding is that he has it wrong and that Ashley hasn't granted anyone due diligence yet. This one is going to drag on for a bit.

[Ultra]

I hope that Shearer is appointed the Newcastle manager.

That will be one rival less for us to worry about..

[Simi]

...till relegation is confirmed

Shearer had his chance and blew it. No impact coach he. The man is a greedy clueless disabled who thinks that he has a divine right to things that he has not earned.

Here's to NUFC V LUFC being the biggest game in Division One

I hope that Shearer is appointed the Newcastle manager.

That will be one rival less for us to worry about..

Agree with both.

I still question how much impact Shearer even had on the tactics at Newcastle though. I would imagine Dowie had more say on the tactical side. Seemed to me Shearer was drafted in as a motivator and it really did go tits up.

If he's appointed manager, it really does show the idle brain power that people in that area carry.

[Radovan's Caravan]

So the Profitable Group have now bowed out of bidding for NUFC. They claim they made an offer for the club and that Ashley wouldn't discuss it with them. Now it appears this Malaysian consortium could not prove that they had the funds in place and have the brass neck to make Ashley out to be the bad guy.

Interesting that this group were 'red hot' on a former striker - who, in his prime, could tuck away a penalty or two at Champions League level - remaining as coach of NUFC. Even more interesting that this group was fronted by a former midfielder blessed with all the delicate ball (and negotiating) skills of an African Bull Elephant.

One thing that you should know about football consortia fronted by former players is that they aint got no fcuking dough. Another thing worth mentioning is that these frontmen will promise jobs to their mates.

Particularly those mates kind enough to feed them inside information...

[Jon the Hat]

No one who is actually serious about buying the club is going to go public.

[breadandcheese]

No one who is actually serious about buying the club is going to go public.

Exactly. To be able to proceed with the process, any potential bidders would have had to sign non-disclosure agreements. If they were to go public, they would have broken the terms of the contract.

[Radovan's Caravan]

Exactly. To be able to proceed with the process, any potential bidders would have had to sign non-disclosure agreements. If they were to go public, they would have broken the terms of the contract.

Non disclosure agreements are there to protect the vendor. In this case, during due diligence, Ashley might not have wished for certain aspects of NUFC's financial position to be made public. To the best of my knowledge, The Profitable Group (a monicker designed, it would appear, to inflame tensions) did not make any such public utterances during the discovery process.

The fact that prospects sometimes decide not to make their bids public is because they are principally concered about alerting the 'latent' competition. In theory at least, it is usually in the club's interest to make any bids public so that they can attract better offers from elsewhere.

For this reason, I suspect that the widely reported offer of £70 million by TPG for Ashleys equity was leaked by Ashley himself and not TPG. This was his way of dismissing the offer as derisory. According to the pundits he's holding out for £100 million.

My hunch is that Dave Whelan and the other members of that 'Club in the North' (of which Ashley, ominously 'is not a part') will pull out all the stops to prevent that from happening. Their ultimate objective I suspect is to push Ashley himself into bankruptcy and NUFC into administration to enable the 'old guard' (The Halls, Shepherd & Co) to repurchase 'their' club for a song...

and commence the cycle again.

[breadandcheese]

Non disclosure agreements are there to protect the vendor. In this case, during due diligence, Ashley might not have wished for certain aspects of NUFC's financial position to be made public. To the best of my knowledge, The Profitable Group (a monicker designed, it would appear, to inflame tensions) did not make any such public utterances during the discovery process.

I don't actually think the Profitable Group got past the first stage to look at the books.

They would have received an information memorandum, but not actually be allowed into the data room to dissect the figures.

[Radovan's Caravan]

I don't actually think the Profitable Group got past the first stage to look at the books.

They would have received an information memorandum, but not actually be allowed into the data room to dissect the figures.

So how could they place a value on the assets?

[breadandcheese]

So how could they place a value on the assets?

An information memorandum, is only a short prospectus on the company, containing info like the history of the company, its organising structure, info on employee numbers, financial info like profit and loss accounts for previous few years and expectations for coming years.

The financial info contained is usually no more than you can get from companies house for a £1.00, however you're to base your bid on this, allowing for many provisos and caveats. If the seller is happy, he invites you to the next stage in the bidding process wher you can perform due diligence and firm up your bid.

[Radovan's Caravan]

I don't actually think the Profitable Group got past the first stage to look at the books.

They would have received an information memorandum, but not actually be allowed into the data room to dissect the figures.

'...they were not provided access to the data room in which Newcastle’s troubled finances were laid bare.'

George Caulkin, The Game - Times Online (28.07.09)

You should credit your sources Mr Baguette & Camembert and not pass off such knowledge as your own. Contrary to what Caulkin tells us elsewhere, The Times was happy to report as early as the 6th July that The Profitable Goup had bid £80 million for NUFC.

PS I have never heard of an accounts dept/office being referred to as the 'data room.'

[breadandcheese]

'...they were not provided access to the data room in which Newcastle’s troubled finances were laid bare.'

George Caulkin, The Game - Times Online (28.07.09)

You should credit your sources Mr Baguette & Camembert and not pass off such knowledge as your own. Contrary to what Caulkin tells us elsewhere, The Times was happy to report as early as the 6th July that The Profitable Goup had bid £80 million for NUFC.

PS I have never heard of an accounts dept/office being referred to as the 'data room.'

Data room is a standard term. Just because you have never heard of it Chandler Mark II, does not make it imaginery.

The selling party presents all the information to the bidder in a controlled room, so that the potential buyer can inspect all the documents to ensure there are no irregularities. Frequently, they will use the extra information they glean to try and negotiate a lower price.

[Hitesh]

SSN have just reported that Joe Kinnear was offered a 2 year deal but rejected it!

Now on BBC:

Kinnear makes Newcastle job claim

Joe Kinnear claims Newcastle owner Mike Ashley offered him a two-year deal to return as manager, which he rejected as he continues to recover from surgery.

Kinnear, 62, has been sidelined since a triple heart bypass operation in February and in his absence Newcastle were relegated from the Premier League.

"I told him I'm not going back to football until at least another three months," Kinnear told BBC Sport.

"If Newcastle feel they need to get another manager, then so be it."

As Kinnear recuperated, former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer took over as manager until the end of the season but he could not save the club from dropping into the Championship.

To add to the air of confusion, Ashley is trying to sell the club and until Newcastle's future is sorted out, Chris Hughton and Colin Calderwood will be in charge of the first team.

Shearer has admitted he has no idea if he will be appointed Newcastle boss on a full-time basis while uncertainty over the club's ownership persists.

He is likely to be at Newcastle's Championship opener at West Brom on Saturday - but working for the BBC as part of its live coverage.

Meanwhile, Kinnear said he had been given the all-clear by the specialist and planned to return to management "as soon as I get the opportunity," but he wants to pace himself.

"I've been offered a two year contract - it's something I'm mulling over at the present time." he added.

"It was about two weeks ago - I was due to go back for pre-season friendlies as manager but I told him I wasn't up to it for medical reasons.

"I need to take time out and reassess the situation, then take it from there. In another three months the picture might be completely different."

A spokesman for the club said Ashley had no comment to make at this stage.

[Tevez]

Why don't Mike Ashley just take them back up and he's going to make most of his money back!

[Ultra]

Except he won't.

Revenue from the Championship won't be anywhere near enough to pay the current wage bill.

[Radovan's Caravan]

SSN have just reported that Joe Kinnear was offered a 2 year deal but rejected it!

Now on BBC:

I have heard conflicting accounts of what was offered to Kinnear and when. One report stated that Kinnear said he was offered a contract as recently as last week but that he still wanted more time (can anyone confirm this?). I also heard that he made a provocative comment about the tribal outlook of NUFC fans.

If the former report is true only in the literal sense (that Kinnear SAID he was offered something) then you can only surmise that this was a ruse to torpedo SS Shearer below the waterline and send him listing into the MOTD harbour.

If the latter is true we can take it that Kinnear was probably lying through his teeth about a contract offer and that he was probably asked/told to do so.

If both my deductions are accurate Kinnear better avoid Tyneside till at least the end of his natural life...

[Jon the Hat]

Data room is a standard term. Just because you have never heard of it Chandler Mark II, does not make it imaginery.

The selling party presents all the information to the bidder in a controlled room, so that the potential buyer can inspect all the documents to ensure there are no irregularities. Frequently, they will use the extra information they glean to try and negotiate a lower price.

And they call it the data room becuase they pack it full of as much meaningless data as they can to ensure that the real nuggets of info they might want to hide are difficult to find. This is not a wander through the accounts department asking questions. They do not get a considered opinion from the finance team, they get to look at everything they ask for (and plenty they don't) and make their own judgements.