Rayvin

Honestly, you can see in the way the club is run that he doesn't care about the small to medium stuff. The fact that Charnley is our MD is one thing. For maybe £1m a year more, he could have someone dynamic who could maximise commercial opportunities and really work to develop a vision and overall club strategy that would pay off in both the short and long term. But he won't do that because he doesn't really care. It's actually a strong testament to how fucking solid this club is as an institution that it has so far more or less survived Ashley's rank incompetence and disinterest.

Also think, considering his position at Sports Direct, we probably get about 5% of his attention. I would be amazed if he genuinely gave a shit about anything going on here beyond the headline issues like relegation or big transfers.

I've known plenty of rich, self-made men, and all of them have been incompetent, needing to hire specialist managers to take care of and run their businesses for them. Ashley hired Charnley, an overpromoted halfwit. Being a good entrepreneur is not the same as being a good manager.

If it was a smokescreen, how has it been used as one? It's not like the club has blamed the takeover for failing to come to terms with Rafa. If you mean that supporter rage is deferred because we hold some optimism that the end remains in sight, then I'm not entirely certain that will survive beyond the takeover falling through anyway. That being the case it would have been better for them to just do what they've done without the takeover at all - they've now lined themselves up for two bouts of supporter anger rather than just one. And the point I always come back to with these conspiracy theories about Ashley - what makes anyone think he gives a flying fuck about how angry we are? He couldn't give a shit man, no way all these events are just machinations to try to placate supporters. If this shit happens it's because they're woefully incompetent, not because they're implementing some devious strategy.

Almost anyone? If Ashley signs the guy up to a one year contract, they could get paid a few million in compensation for 6 weeks work. And the owners may well give the guy a chance anyway.

They left it almost as late as possible to lose Rafa which makes me think the takeover was on their minds. I mean who knows where we go from here but I'm not sure Rafa going and the takeover happening or not are linked really.

We're well past optics now. The bottom has completely fallen out of British politics.

So Ashley jettisoned Rafa as some sort of childish fucking powerplay, with zero professionalism or competence. It's abhorrent.

What effect would that have on a left wing climate activist prepared to gatecrash an event being held by posh white men?

That's curious, why isn't she doing that?

No chance is anyone scared of them

They did but more recent reports claimed they were trying to speed it through.

Ah. My bad, and yes, I agree.

If it takes "at least 10-15 days" and we're on day 18, we don't have enough information to say anything about it. All he was told is it wouldn't take less than 10-15 days. I don't understand why the lack of news over something that we were advised would run on past the end of the month is getting to people. What do we want to know exactly? Which particular part of the due diligence they're up to? Clearly this is the most serious takeover bid we've received, and if it had fallen flat then surely the buyers would have revealed this. It may not happen but it can't have failed yet.

Is there any realistic chance that it'll be anyone other than Johnson? Honestly, I think the ship has sailed. No Deal Brexit + Johnson as Prime Minister. This is our country now.

So this is basically a socialist echo chamber I mean, I guess that was obvious. Nice to see CT being as 'down the middle' as it's possible to be as well.

Actually that's a good way of depicting it. My breakdown into 4 categories was: Socialist, Internationalist, Moderate, Progressive

Political values test, 70 questions but only took 5 mins: https://8values.github.io/index.html I'm a Social Democrat apparently. https://8values.github.io/results.html?e=79.9&d=78.7&g=59.2&s=74.7

We have a problem - Tory/BP electoral pact: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7148119/Tory-donors-secret-talks-Nigel-Farage-Conservative-Brexit-party-election-pact.html

At some point the incoming owners should attempt to have a discussion with him, formalising some manner of provisional agreement. It's possible he's signed an NDA on the issue though. My guess is all the relevant information will come through simultaneously, more or less.

I echo the cautious optimism. I think you said earlier that if all of this falls apart, Rafa goes and we're left with some Hughes esque chancer, you'll chuck it in - words to that effect anyway. That's broadly where I am. I can afford to be optimistic about this because if it does all go tits up, I think it'll finish off the last lingering parts of me that still care. So it's euphoria or apathy for me

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/9300644/newcastle-takeover-sheikh-khaled-progressing-well/ Sun claims they're still on and trying to get it done by end of month. Aim to keep Rafa. Proof of funds were provided back in mid-April...

Also useful God i hate this man.

He did indeed. Despite having neoliberal (Thatcherite tendencies) Blair's New Labour did a lot of good. It's a real shame that after Brown, they failed to oppose austerity, which is now responsible for the deaths of 130,000 people.

Good find. Will share that around a bit.