PaddockLad

And the award for the North East's "best dressed man of 2012 goes to..........."

Not like you to twist something. Luke Edwards looks as if hes well in with the powers that be at the club judging by this story and has to toe the party line. Keegan took his former employers to a tribunal so he could prove he was constructively dismissed by them. I think most of us know the truth.

heres the article, not a lot we didnt know really, but a few things of interest.... 7 Comments While rival chairmen may have smirked at Mike Ashley’s public relation blunders since he bought the club in 2007 and rival supporters revelled in seeing the Magpies get their wings clipped by relegation to the Championship in 2009, it is Newcastle United who are feeling pleased with themselves at the moment. Sixth in the Premier League, five points ahead of Liverpool, ten points ahead of Sunderland, two points behind Chelsea in fifth, things have gone surprisingly well on the pitch. But their progress has not been confined to the decisions coming out of manager Alan Pardew’s office or because of the players recommended to him by chief scout Graham Carr. As revealed by Telegraph Sport on Tuesday, Newcastle have bucked the Premier League trend and will announce a small profit when they officially release their annual accounts on Thursday. As things stand, Telegraph Sport can also reveal the club is on course to make a profit of around £10m for the forthcoming financial year, money that will, managing director Derek Llambias has assured, go straight back into the club for player recruitment. Related Articles Newcastle due to announce profit05 Mar 2012 O'Neill says Pardew influenced referee04 Mar 2012 Coloccini and Krul pen new deals03 Mar 2012 North-East sleeping giants awake02 Mar 2012 Pardew puts accent on Newcastle vision02 Mar 2012 Newcastle eyeing Europe01 Mar 2012 In a favourite phrase of his, Newcastle are now “wiping their own mouths” as a business. That was the task given to him when he succeeded Chris Mort as chairman in 2008 and while he probably still wouldn’t win any popularity contests on Tyneside, Llambias has done what was asked. He has cut costs and increased revenue streams and appointed a manager, Pardew, who has not only kept Newcastle in the Premier League – and therefore protected the business – he has also put them on the cusp of Europa League qualification. Most importantly of all, he has stopped asking owner Ashley for money to prop up a business he had gone into naively as a result of failing to look at the books properly before buying it from Sir John Hall and Freddie Shepherd. Llambias inherited a mess. Mort had appointed Kevin Keegan as manager – a good move – but he had saddled him with a continental style management structure with Dennis Wise – a bad move – as head of player recruitment. He also took over a business typical of top flight football that was out of control, a business which needed millions from its owner each year to remain afloat, let alone stay competitive at the top end of the division. It was a disaster and when Keegan stormed out as a result of boardroom interference player recruitment in August 2008, he turned Ashley and Llambias into hate figures. Twice Ashley has tried to sell the club and twice he has failed. He had lost interest, owning a football club was supposed to be fun, now he just wanted to get rid. When he couldn’t find a buyer in a global recession, he ordered Llambias to at least make sure he did not have to lose any more money bailing it out. It has been a long and painful journey. For every step forward in the public relations battle – Ashley covered loses of £500,000 a week in the Championship – there has been a disaster, like the sale of Andy Carroll to Liverpool last January or the decision to rename St James’ Park the Sports Direct Arena, after his own retail chain. To be tolerated and, even admired for the way they have brought spiralling debts under control, is a huge improvement on where they were two years, even 12 or six months ago. They deserved some of the criticism. They make mistakes, they upset people, ruffled feathers and went back on the odd promise. They have, at times, acted with all the sensitivity of a drunken barber holding a cut-throat razor. This season, though, has been a triumph, not just for the team, but also the business. With the £35m from Carroll looking a superb transaction, it has, in the main, been reinvested in the team. There is even some left to spend in the summer. They have a smaller budget than the rest of the teams in the top six, but they are holding their own nonetheless. Newcastle do not pay for players in instalments, they pay the whole fee up front so they completely own the asset. They agree contracts – including the recent significant ones with captain Fabricio Coloccini and goalkeeper Tim Krul – with players that do not have bonus payments or image rights. The weekly wage is the weekly wage so they can keep complete control of their wage bill. They do have debt, around £111m, but it is all in the form of interest free loans from Ashley, not the banks. They also try to tie all key personnel to long term contracts, so that their market value is at its highest, hopefully to ward off interest, but if one of the “top four” calls, it ensures they can get the highest fee possible. As for agents, Llambias “will not be bullied” in negotiations. It has, at times, caused problems and led to the departure of Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton in the summer, but it also ensures they are not taken for a costly ride by those who make money out of the talent of others. The one blot is the release clause in Demba Ba’s contract, but nobody knew he would have the season he has had and the Senegal international may yet decide to stay at Newcastle if they qualify for Europe, even if others have a vested interest in getting him to move. While some will scoff at the suggestion they need help keeping their houses in order, Newcastle are in better shape than most ahead of the implementation of Uefa’s Financial Fair play regulations. Llambias privately fears their rivals will get around the rules with extravagant sponsorship deals from their owners or companies linked to them. But for a club without a benefactor, Newcastle have every reason to be pleased with the shape they are in. For the first time since Ashley’s first season in charge, there is optimism of a brighter future with him at the helm and that is priceless. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/newcastle-united/9129072/Newcastle-United-buck-Premier-League-trend-by-posting-profit-as-Mike-Ashleys-club-perform-on-and-off-field.html

Anyone watching the repeats of the ludicrous but completely fabulous Game of Thrones on sky Atlantic? Mrs Pl has got me into it as she's read all the books. The fat one from Full Monty as king of some fantasy realm, Sean Bean as his mucker, extreme medieval type violence and incest (among other sexually deviant acts)...whats not to like?

Oh and try not to be so sensitive

Get yourself a girlfriend. And stop being so self absorbed. Which a girlfriend will help you with. And when you've just about had enough of her obsession with herself you'll remember tonight and how utterly tedious feeling sorry for yourself is for others. Hope that helps

Much against my better judgement I was once talked into paying to listen to Le Tissier speak at a charity curry night I knew I shouldn't have handed the cash over, and sure enough the big nosed cunt didn't turn up. The late Alan Ball was sent in his stead, and he rolled out a "England 66" routine so old and cliche drenched he'd obviously done it 100s of times. To be fair to him, he was good on the Q & A aftrwards and stayed late just to have the crack with quite a few of us, our table included. He came across well and had obvious real passion for the game without being all " times were 'ard when I were a lad" about it. You'd have to pay me to watch this bunch of fuckin strap-ons "perform" on stage mind. Is this one being aimed at the ironic/student market?

Cant disagree with any of that. The last 8 weeks have changed the way I think, I've been pleasantly surprised and I'm encouraged. We still shouldve signed a centre back mind. And I cant force myself to beleive Ashley won't fuck it all up or sell us to a money launderer for a fat profit now weve stopped losing money

A poor season? The signs to me are theyre all in decline and the reasons for that are pretty clear and as youve pointed out they are all mangerial. And not a lot that can be done quickly about it at any of theses clubs when you look at the personalities involved.Theres a chance for a changing of the guard at the top of the league in the next couple of seasons and we're well placed to take advantage. Doubt if we will, or I just cant beleive that Ashley is capable of getting it right for as long as we need to keep challenging. He'll fuck it up by letting too many players go all at the same time iyam. I hope to be proved wrong.

Wait a minute it was you who was claiming that it was easy in 93 but now we're challenging Arsenal,Chelsea and Liverpool "18 months after being in division 2" its difficult? I happen to agree with what you're saying, but giving that as an example earlier in the thread isnt the best thing you couldve used to illustrate your point because what has happened since promotion contradicts what you're claiming. It has been relatively easy. and correct me if I'm wrong but the club also operated at a loss in 09 and 10? We've acheived a lot quickly, and a lot of people share the credit for that including Ashley. But it was similar the last time we were promoted too. Remember we slipped back from 2nd to 7th in our second season in 95. This season barring a abysmal collapse our league placing will go up by about half a dozen places. Or is this part of your "its more difficult now" argument?

We've spent half a season in the top 4, 18 months after being in Division 2. Its like 93/94 all over again if we're to go with what Chez is saying With us its been undoubtedly down to the managers in the main part. Although we wouldnt have spent much time in the top 4 around the latter part of the last decade as it was virtually a closed shop at the time. Its in a complete state of flux now mind. Now is the time to strike when Arsenal and Chelsea look shadows of them former selves and Man Utd are up to their ears in debt and need to replace Fergie soon. Maybe we will be stronger in 18 months when we've sold a few and replaced a few. Bottom line is football is cyclical because humans control the finance of clubs, and humans often fuck it up, whatever the level of money sloshing around.

The Spurs "project" is interesting....I can see the similarities but at the moment I certainly don't trust the present club management enough to beleive that they'll see it through to the stage that Spurs are at as we see them now in 2012. When Redknapp took over they were bottom of the league but Comolli had recruited the basis of the present squad. Pardew has started from a much weaker posistion squad wise. Spurs have also waxed just as the (media) accepted "big 4" have dropped a level or two and have seen the incredible spending power of Man City blow everyone else out of the water. Now is a good time to be a team "on the up" and in a lot of ways now is one of the most interesting times to be following us in our recent history. Don't know what the financial fair play rules will mean for any club in the top division but if we take them at face value then we're going to be looking pretty strong. Theres so many teams with huge debts, ourselves included. I think if your debt is owed via a club owner to a bank then your pretty much fucked (strong rumours that if West Ham fail to go up then they're screwed too) Ours is a different debt, its all owed to one man who, it would appear, hasn't borrowed a penny since he bought the club. That may well be very important indeed when you look at the debt manu are carrying and they will also see Fergie retire sooner rather than later. Our present owners keep springing surprises (on me anyway, and I defy anyone who predicted who would have signed contracts with us in 2012 to say it was anything more than guesswork based on nothing in particular) so maybe we'll continue to progress for a couple of seasons until we reach where Spurs are now (maybe). But two of Spurs best 4 players are on loan and to move to the next level for them the other two will have to be sold. Will the replacements for Bale and Modric get them closer to Man Utd? It will be interesting to see them compete at the top level with that policy and build a new stadium like Arsenal have. As far as we're concerned I think we've gone from being incapable of making two good decisions/moves in a row to getting two out of three right. Thats progress as far as I can make out. We'll see.

I learned at the weekend that Pat Heard is now a stage hypnotist and illusionist. Which is a natural career progression as the fuckin useless prick only gave the illusion of being a footballer. No wonder Waddle and Beardsley fucked off.

What is it? Teams who have played in the premier league?....work server says no to sporcle

I think the fuckwits in the media just like to compliment him becuase he's been to university. Doesn't stop him from being just about the biggest wind up merchant out there (although Pardew is running him close ) A mate reckoned he ordered everyone on the Sunderland bench when they scored on Sunday to run up and down the touchline celebrating like a bunch of teenaged fanboys. Didn't see it myself, but he reckons he used to pull shit like this all the time at Celtic. Isn't he heavily into criminology? No wonder he's been seconded to those scabs.... He apparently attended the trial of the Yourkshire Ripper as a "interested spectator".......probably went to offer support thinking it was Wearside Jack

Cheers, that means a lot. If we play with some derby day spirit we might nick a draw ;-) Captain and best player suspended (thats two different players btw) for Everton, who are doing their usual trick of looking like a relegation side before xmas then looking like a champions league side come springtime. Not easy.

real progress that we didn't get stuffed 5-1 aye atm for us that is progress. If sunderland had hammered newcastle 5-1 the season before hand would you not want your team to show some fighting spirit the next time around???? I read this tripe from pardew that you were dragged into a war....jesus wept were we supposed roll over and just let you have a nice stroll for 95mins??? as your messiah himself said at half time apparently only one team were playing football in the 1st half and that was sunderland. WE GOT TO YOU and you didn't like it one bit. Can not wait for next season :-) 4 seasons in the premier league and thats what youve acheived. Precisely fuckin nothing. I'm almost beginning ro feel sorry for you now mate

Pardew got it spot on, they sucked us into their kicking match in the first half and we looked shite. In the first 5 mins of the second half we had 4 shots on goal, after the manager had got inside their heads at half time and told them to play football instead.. If we'd scored around the 60 mins mark we'd have got 3 or 4. We didnt, they hung on and I have to say Turner was fuckin brilliant, but we've been mediocre since well before xmas apart from the Man Utd game. This was a test of how far theyve come since last season and theyve managed to listen to O'Neil telling them to come out and kick the shit out of us . Well done to everyone at safc, real progress that like.

Got tkts for the Saturday at V fest Hylands Park, headlined by the best band this country has produced in the last 30 years http://www.vfestival.com/

I think the fuckwits in the media just like to compliment him becuase he's been to university. Doesn't stop him from being just about the biggest wind up merchant out there (although Pardew is running him close ) A mate reckoned he ordered everyone on the Sunderland bench when they scored on Sunday to run up and down the touchline celebrating like a bunch of teenaged fanboys. Didn't see it myself, but he reckons he used to pull shit like this all the time at Celtic.

Too early in the day Tom. Being a goal down for three quarters of the game didn't help either. Fuckin mental when we scored mind

Great half from Ben Arfa. Nothing to do defensively because of the sending off though.

4231 isn't the same as 451. Spain won a world cup with that formation and a front 4 of Sturridge, Welbeck, Johnson and Young is hardly defensive minded Fuck me its Andy Townsend in his "tactics truck" Perhaps you'd like to pont out the salient differences between the two for the benefit of the unenlightened i.e. me

Like theyre in a posistion to judge....I used to hand our Sunday League score cards to one of the old fuckers, Peter Hough, head of Dorset FA. Run from a Portacabin in a car park. He was on Simon Jordan's disciplinary comittee when the Palace chairman was up in front of the FA...I think it was a bit like 3 christians v 1 lion....basically a bunch of amateurs running a professional game.

James Murdoch has stepped down as executive chairman of News International.