East Stander

If anyone is interested, there are new prices for next season judging by this link: http://www.nufc.co.uk/page/Prices/0,,10278,00.html I'd copy the prices if I knew how to! An example being my seat in the centre of the East Stand was £583 this year, next year the centre blocks are more expensive than the rest of the stand and the price is £635.

Ticket News: Get Two Seasons Of Cup Seats FREE! NEWCASTLE UNITED supporters are to be offered FREE admission to ALL cup matches at St. James' Park for the next two seasons! Any season ticket holder who purchases a season ticket for the 2008/09 season can enjoy a free seat at EVERY home cup match the Magpies play both this season and next.If you do not have a season ticket currently you can still take advantage of this offer by buying a season ticket for both this season and next. The Magpies are allowing fans to pay for their 2008/09 season tickets in INTEREST FREE instalments as from today - spreading the cost of watching their favourite team. That's right, you'll be eligible for the two seasons of FREE home cup tickets either by paying for your 2008/09 season ticket in full now or simply by paying a 10 per cent deposit towards the total cost, with the rest paid over INTEREST FREE monthly instalments up to May 2008. You can pay by monthly installments via a Direct Debit scheme and special mandate forms will be available from the NUFC Box Office from Friday afternoon, August 24. Once you renew for 2008/09 or sign up for the Direct Debit Scheme, you will have FREE access for EVERY home cup game for the 2007/08 and 2008/09 seasons, including any European cup games if we qualify for Europe next season. Just think about it - no need to apply and pay for your cup tickets, we'll automatically update your season ticket smart card so that you get in FREE every time! This offer will remain open until 1 December 2007 but if you wish to take advantage of the offer to get free admission to the Carling Cup game at home to Barnsley on Wednesday, 29 August, you will need to sign up for your 2008/09 season ticket by Tuesday, 28 August. Season tickets will be cancelled if the purchaser does not keep up repayments by direct debit. If you do miss a payment then you will be asked to pay the full outstanding balance by cash or credit card at the NUFC Box Office. The Club also reserves the right to refuse any individual the Payment Installment Plan. Get a stake in your 2008/09 season ticket today - and get cup fever as well! Please note, as usual, your own seat or area is not guaranteed and the Club reserves the right to re-allocate you with a reasonable alternative should it wish to do so. · Block L4F in the North West corner is not available for this scheme. However, any supporter sitting in L4F can still take advantage of the offer by moving to another area. The Box Office will assist any supporter in this category to find a suitable alternative. · Any supporter whose seat is altered will only be subject to very slight change.

Aye, that was a bit naff to say the least. Was class when someone threw it to a Villa player (Young maybe), when he was preparing for a free kick though. Aye but pity he didn't see the funny side of it since he made a point of hockling on it

For Dyer maybe. Doing the speed limit it would take double that. Might be right. It's still about 60-70 miles although its not unusual for people to London from Ipswich. Isn't West Ham's training ground out in the wilds of Essex somewhere though? It is at Saville Road, Chadwell Heath. How easy to get to from Ipswich I have no idea.

BRAZILIAN centre-back Claudio Cacapa has become Sam Allardyce's second signing within 12 hours after penning a two-year deal at St.James' Park. The 31-year-old joins the Magpies under freedom of contract having left French champions Lyon at the end of last season. Cacapa's arrival comes hot on the heels of Alan Smith who joined from Man Utd for an undisclosed fee earlier on Friday. The Brazil international, who will take the No.6 shirt, has signed a two-year contract at Gallowgate with the possibility of a third-year. Just noticed/forgot about the other thread!!

At the Sheff Utd home game, he was taking peltas from the East Stand massive for pulling out of a challenge. Didn't help himself by turning round and telling the paddock fans to f*** off and then went hiding for 5 minutes. Not what a captain should do really. Saying that, I thought he was a cracking player in his first season.

The Journal certainly hold nothing back in their article this morning. He spoke and spent big – but achieved little Jul 25 2007 by Paul Gilder, The Journal THE personalised registration plate that adorns Freddie Shepherd’s expensive 4x4 bears striking similarities to the Morse Code recognised as the international distress signal. The erstwhile Newcastle chairman must have felt like issuing such a message last night, yet he was beyond assistance. At St James’s Park, Shepherd has long been sinking. Having struck the bottom, he vanished. Informed that his services were no longer required, a man big on bluster severed his ties with Newcastle United without a word. Some might call it a dignified departure. The truth was somewhat different. Shepherd’s last public appearance in his role as the club’s chairman came just over two months ago following Sam Allardyce’s appointment as manager. Throughout a bizarre Press conference, the 65-year-old winced with pain, his discomfort later attributed to a cracked rib. Since then, the hurt has refused to recede. Be it the pneumonia that forced his hospitalisation or the damage to his pride, Shepherd’s agonies have been relentless. Last night – his dreams in tatters – the affliction in question was surely a broken heart. It cannot have been otherwise. For several years, Freddie Shepherd was Newcastle United. It is the case no longer. His removal from office unceremonial, this was not the end he had planned. Yet it was a suitable denouement. During a tenure perhaps best described as ‘colourful’, precious little went according to the script. That Shepherd was a man with big ambitions is beyond dispute. He spoke big and he spent big, yet his achievements were small. For the countless millions that were spent chasing the dream, nothing was won. When his stewardship started, Newcastle had not won significant silverware since Bob Moncur collected the European Fairs Cup in 1969. When his reign ended last night, the fact remained unaltered. A 28-year drought has been extended to 38 years under his guidance. When it came, the end was not mourned as he might once have hoped. His aim upon succeeding Sir John Hall was to end the curse, yet all that was gained was a reputation as an executioner extraordinaire. Five managers departed the club during Shepherd’s reign, another five were appointed. It was while conducting characteristic business that his fatal mistake was made. When he comes to reflect upon his time at St James’s Park, he will come to regret the rash decision he made on August 30, 2004. From the moment he informed Sir Bobby Robson that his services were no longer required, Shepherd has been on sinking sand. Just as a football manager is judged upon the players he signs, so a football chairman is judged upon the managers he appoints. This is a man who gave jobs to Ruud Gullit, Graeme Souness and Glenn Roeder. All failed. All reflect upon him. Yes, he appointed Robson in the first place. He also replaced him with Souness, a man who was facing dismissal from his post at Blackburn at the time. He also gave Roeder a job that was beyond his capabilities. The 51-year-old lasted less than a year before offering his resignation. And so to Allardyce, Shepherd’s last appointment and a coach who will hope to buck the trend. The former Bolton manager has been told his job is safe but the situation is not as comfortable as it could be. Allardyce will always be considered Shepherd’s man and he must hope that does not become a stigma. If the club is to move forward, if lessons are to be learned from Shepherd’s spell at the helm, the 52-year-old must be given the time that was so often denied his predecessors. At least with Shepherd gone, the process can begin. Only now can this be considered a genuine new era. Yesterday’s developments were inevitable. Although Mike Ashley’s management team announced last month that Shepherd would remain as chairman, the arrangement was always going to be shortlived. The Journal, with whom Shepherd had a fractious relationship, reported as much. The end came quicker than expected. But it was expected. From the moment he agreed to sell his shares, he was yesterday’s man. He remained in office, but he had no power. In recent months, Shepherd has been a puppet. When it suited him to bring the association to an end, Ashley was ruthless, acting without sentiment. It is his modus operandi. Shepherd might feel a certain relief that the end has come, although he may never admit as much. He can not have been content to work under such conditions. After so long in charge, he cannot have been content to be subservient. He has left without a title being bestowed. Perhaps a clean break is best. The future is uncertain, although one thing is clear: things will be much different under Chris Mort’s management. None could imitate Shepherd’s style, few would want to. Whatever his intentions, this was a man who could not help but attract trouble. Be it the News of the World expose in 1998 or the ‘f***ing Michael Owen’ YouTube clip earlier this year, Shepherd’s propensity to make headlines for the wrong reasons counted against him in the final reckoning. In the sharp-suited business world in which Mort and his men move, such behaviour must be incomprehensible. It has long been apparent that Newcastle needed a different direction. This morning, it is theirs. None can question Shepherd’s passion, but what has become clear is that passion alone is not enough. He might bleed black-and-white, but he could not bring success to St James’s Park. That will hurt, although the £40m he will take with him from selling his stock last month will help to ease the pain. But it will not be enough. It cannot be. There are some things that cannot be procured with cash alone and when Newcastle next taste success Shepherd will not be hailed the saviour as he once had hoped he would be. Shepherd did not want to end his association with the club this summer, make no mistake about it, but a man who last year detailed his streetfighting past in Byker has been beaten in battle. That might be worth an SOS call. But no one is coming.

Direct quote from article in today's Journal “We’ve asked Freddie to stay around while we do the strategic review,” added Mort. “He’s not well and the first priority for him, his family and for us is for him to get better. Moving forward, we will think it through as we do that (review). The plan in reality is that over time I will take on the senior role and Freddie will look to step away. But it will be useful to have his perspective because he has been in the driving seat for so long.”

Aye, a fitting legacy typifying the reign of the fat one.

26 June 2007 Newcastle United PLC: Board Changes Following the recommended cash offer by St. James Holdings Limited being declared unconditional in all respects on 15 June 2007, Newcastle United PLC announces the resignation of Bruce Shepherd, Allison Antonopoulos, Tim Revill and Douglas Hall from the Board of Directors and the appointment of Chris Mort and Steve Hayward to the Board of Directors; all such changes to have immediate effect.

Another 250,000 shares bought at 12.03 taking today's big dealings to 753,896.

.com seem to think the magic number has already been reached by this posting from their site!! Shares target: Ashley hits ninety Recent trading has taken Mike Ashley to the magical 90% shareholding. An announcement to the London Stock Exchange is likely later today.

Getting closer, now showing as having 88.41% so far today http://www.londonstockexchange.com/LSECWS/...&source=RNS

If these reports are true, then I presume we can take it that EMO has every intention of leaving us? If he was going to stay then surely Big Sam or fatty would not be making these offers in the first place?

Offer now unconditional. SJHL have over 75% now officially http://investing.thisismoney.co.uk/cgi-bin...65571&rns=1

Finally got the offer package today. One interesting piece on page 46 about the directors' service contracts is that Shepherd and Hall are no longer entitled to a bonus. Explains why they have not had one for the last 2 years (at least) but would like to know why this was brought in. Maybe they have always had the club's interest to heart after all!!

By my reckoning, this declaration takes his holding to 51.79% http://www.londonstockexchange.com/LSECWS/...&source=RNS

Thanks for the feedback. Looks like official Stock exchange announcemnets are being made by SJHL now after friday's large share trades.

Bump Anyone received their offer yet? Postie been here and nothing delivered.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Recommended Cash Offer by St James Holdings Limited for Newcastle United PLC Further to the announcement this morning by St James Holdings Limited ("SJHL") regarding the recommended cash offer by SJHL for all of the issued and to be issued share capital of Newcastle United PLC, SJHL is pleased to announce that the Offer Document and the Form of Acceptance have today been posted to Newcastle United shareholders. Copies of the Offer Document and the Form of Acceptance will be available for inspection during normal business hours on any business day at the offices of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer at 65 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1HS while the offer remains open for acceptance. As set out in the Offer Document, acceptances of the Offer should be received by no later than 1.00p.m. (London time) on 28 June 2007. Capitalised terms used, but not defined, in this announcement have the same meaning as given to them in the Offer Document.

No mention in the on-line snippets I have just read about the official news of the takeover from anal today. He must be absolutely gutted that his personal puppet master has left him out of all this while he was on his jollies

Think you might have quoted exactly what Jose said to him which he wouldn't repeat in the programme (but I bet he does in his book, the self important twat)

I just wonder if another reason for the hold up could be because of the takeover. We have no cash in the bank now and maybe the bank will not give a loan with the future ownership of the club up in the air at the moment? I could be talking bollocks as usual though

It doesn't help the nerves when reading this morning's Express and Niall Hickman speculates that Tom Hunter may come in and make a counter bid. Seem to remember the tramps getting very twitchy and impatient at the time it took their Oirish takeover to be completed.

No doubt the "increasingly influential" Kenneth Shepherd will have something to do with it if the takeover takes a while to complete. He conducted Martin's transfer amongst others. And his loss in getting eventual control of Nufc because of Ashley's takeover is yet another reason for it to go through asap, in my opinion.