Newcastle United was formed in 1892 – 123 years ago. Formed by the good men and women of this fine city, Newcastle upon Tyne, so that we as the people could have a football club to represent the city. A club to enjoy, share, be proud of and pass on. For all people, for all generations. Newcastle United. Our Football Club.

Fast forward to this day and the ideals, traditions and standing of the club couldn’t be further from their original intentions. We are not a football club today. We are a business. We are the Premier League subsidiary of Sports Direct. The Donnay of football clubs.

We the fans, the supposed lifeblood of this fine institution are no more than common customers. Those season tickets or match tickets that were once like gold, could be a voucher to shop at Debenhams, that’s how little sporting or entertainment value they now hold.

Our beautiful stadium, St. James’ Park, a monument of the city, iconic and instantly recognisable the world over is no longer a football stadium. It’s a giant Sports Direct advert. An empty shell even when packed with 52,000 people.

Everything about Newcastle United today is a million miles away from the Newcastle United of old – old being 8 years ago when Mike Ashley bought the club. The only thing linking the club of today to back then is the lack of trophy success. But hey, that’s an age old Newcastle United thing!

At least back then Newcastle United was an ambitious, if not somewhat mismanaged club. A regular in Europe and a club who paid top fees and top wages for ‘star’ players to try and compete with the very top clubs. We bought duds, we built debt, we went out of the cups and still didn’t win a bloody trophy. But we tried to compete, we tried to be the kind of club we were formed to be, we strived to be best we could be.

Today we are in more debt than ever and now we only spend money when we have to, such as when relegation looks a distinct possibility. We don’t pay top dollar for players or managers and we can forget about the cups. As for Europe – “thank god we aren’t in it” – the words of Alan Pardew, our former manager. A mandate that comes from the very top.

Sporting wise there is no real point to the football club these days. Newcastle United exists to make up the numbers in the Premier League in order to bring in the huge TV revenue and to also promote Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct empire. That is it, nothing more than a billboard for bloody Sports Direct!

Players aren’t bought to create a team to entertain the fans and to try and win something or to get into Europe. Players are bought based on how little they will cost the club in wages and transfer fees and based on just how much they could be worth if they actually perform well enough to be sold to a “sovereign state.”

Managers or head coaches aren’t appointed to build an exciting attack minded team to win games, but to toe the party line, help sell the “purples” and to lower the expectations of us, the fans. If not Alan Pardew then John Carver or some other non-entity happy to toe the party line for Mike Ashley.

There is no dream of winning a cup or playing in Europe either. These things are considered worthless, not just in terms of revenue, but commitment and effort. Defeatism reigns supreme at St. James’ Park in every corridor when it comes to the actual name of the game.

For all the mismanagement, failures and wasted money under Freddy Shepherd and the Halls, it was never this bad and would never be allowed to be so. The fans alone would not stand for it. How times have changed, apathy reins supreme today and it’s strangling the club. It’s time to change that, it’s time to stand up and be counted and save Newcastle United.

Under Mike Ashley the club is deliberately ran to be this bad and continuously and deliberately run to achieve mediocrity, not just because of mismanagement, which I’m sure we could all forgive to a degree, but due to a flagrant disregard for what is important at any football club. A good manager, good players, good coaching, ambition and most important of all the fans. The lifeblood of any football club and indeed the game.

All of those things under Mike Ashley mean nothing, it’s all about the Wonga and everything else can do one. Especially the fans, the people who dared to stand up to him following Kevin Keegan’s fateful resignation back in 2008.

Since then Ashley’s whole ownership of the club has been a big massive two fingers to the fans, the city and the club as an institution. From the treatment of club legend Alan Shearer to relegation. From the dismissal of the popular Chris Hughton to the appointment of a sacked League One manager Alan Pardew. Derek Llambias, Joe Kinnear, the sale of Carroll, Cabaye etc. The frankly ridiculous reappointment of Kinnear to the lack of genuine investment in the playing squad to John Carver leading the club to a 5th consecutive derby defeat to Sunderland. The list is endless.

But still, almost near full houses every week with Ashley able to take his seat in comfort as the King of St. James’. At no other club would the kind of ownership served up by Mike Ashley be accepted, never mind tolerated. He doesn’t even own Rangers (yet?) and their fans have done more to oppose him and to say a big fat NO to him and what he represents in just a few months than fans of Newcastle United have in 8 years.

With the launch of AshleyOut.com now is the time to let Mike Ashley know that will we no longer tolerate his ownership of Newcastle United – our football club. The time for action has arrived, time for change has come. It is your duty as a Newcastle United supporter to do everything you can or are willing to do to help towards the campaign of helping Mike Ashley sell up and get out of our club. We are Newcastle United, not Sports Direct. As Kevin Keegan said, Mike Ashley and his people are not Newcastle United.

‘They are not that football club. They are just custodians who are in for a few years.

‘It might be five, ten or six, but Newcastle United will go on after Mike Ashley.’

It’s time to reclaim our club. We are Newcastle United!

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Taters3

I can’t disagree with anything you’ve said… but what exactly are you proposing?

Don’t buy a season ticket for starters. What’s the point in them anyway? The club chuck the towel in by January every season.

Taters3

I’m totally with you-and boycott all Shite Direct, organize for fan ownership, etc, but this piece doesn’t seem to advocate those actions or anything else, unless I missed something.

Gary Linney

Totally and completely agree with this.

Fatboy mike gets nothing out of me and neither does NUFC. We must put real pressure on the owner and show him ‘we’ve ALL had enough’! Otherwise we know he will just be rubbing his hands every game with that slimy sick grin on his mush. The ONLY way to wipe that off his face is to hurt him… hurt his bottom line profit!

STAY AWAY FROM St Dt tat shops and boycott SJP for the remaining games. Like you say, It will be wor club again…soon I hope. We must beunited to get rid of this fat greedy leech!!!!! ASHLEY OUT! John Williams Hi, i agree with STAY AWAY FROM St Dt tat shops. When it comes to the last home game against West ham I think we will need 3 pts to stay up. (we will know by 5 pm Saturday) If that is the case i think we should fill SJP and help the players across the line. I do not want to be relegated i don’t think any fan truly wants to see this happen again. but come final whistle give it to Ashley protest protest protest.

If by some miracle we win at QPR and hull lose or draw we will be safe. Then protest away against West ham,

Finally DO NOT BUY SEASON TICKETS. I do not care who comes in as manager/head coach wait and see what players come and go, Wait and see if its just another yes man. Don’t buy in to Cashleys false promises of cheaper early season tickets or we will spend 40 -50 mill on players (more like 100-150 needed) WAIT WAIT WAIT. Let him put his money where his mouth is for once. I really really want him out, Hate is not a strong enough word…..

Darryn

Absolutely agree with everything you’ve written here.

Darryn

A win this Saturday against QPR could line up for massive protests for the West Ham game.

I’d be up for:

Mass demonstrations

Picketting

Sit ins,

10 minutes of complete silence during the game.

Civil disobedience, stop the players cars from getting into the ground, block entry to the Leazes end.

Sineage against Sts Dct and against Ashley

Sineage that takes the p*** out of Sts Dct, that’s got to be worth an evening or two of brainstorming.

Stop the game being played at all.

If we drop points though, the mass droves will once again turn up, hoping to save our club from relegation

For what…? another season of mediocrity. All that really happens is we save Ashleys bacon.

I’d almost rather experience what Rangers have been through than keep this up.

Start working toward fan ownership-the only way to make it truly “our club”.

MonkseatonMag

Fantastic article. You’ve said it EXACTLY as it is.

Whatever happens, and for the long-term good of the club do NOT renew your season tickets.

Jarman Jordy

I read an article recently stating that it’s no longer viable to have a season ticket because cheap ticket offers at many games is there any proof of this?

Kenneth Barr

I find it interesting that Ashley has demanded an EGM at Rangers and is seeking repayment on his stlg 5 million loan. Since this site has barely mentioned Ashley’s attempted takeover of Rangers, in violation of SFA rules and to the detriment of NUFC, I’d be interested in comment on this. Why is Ashley pouring millions into another club while seemingly not investing in the one he owns?

Darryn

Because he makes money from owning clubs and using them as a billboard for Ss Dt

Kenneth Barr

Adding on to my previous comment, I went on the SportsDirect website and found the they sell kit from 11 out of the 20 Premier clubs. Since I know Crystal Palace generally doesn’t allow outside sellers for their kit, what deal does he make to get retail rights? What does NUFC receive per SportsDirect sale as opposed to the club shop? I believe your case to oust Ashley should be focused on his financial dealings, which seem to favor SportsDirect at the expense of the club. Whereas Palace (and clubs like them) take a maximum percentage of club gear sold, albeit through limited distribution, NUFC seems to lose out due to outside sellers.