NJS

oh fo sho I look at the Glastonbury line-up and am completely unmoved by it. Beyonce? What is this? T4 on the Beach? Headliners for Glastonbury should be Classic rock/stadium acts and modern acts of the same ilk. Led Zeppelin and Muse. The Who and Radio Head. etc. Beyonce, Coldplay and U2? give me a fucking break. I would say U2 are pretty much a stadium act.

Need a "Never touched any drug ever, but don't think less of people who have" option for me. However I completely accept the argument that alcohol could/should be classed as such and is probably worse than cannabis.

Yeah it's a bit too eclectic for me though I think yours and my tastes differ. Reading is definitely my favourite "ethos" musically.

There's an element of "box ticking" for Aussie immigrants and a lot of posh/rich British kids which puts me off. We had an Aussie PM a few years ago who was using the UK as a base for touring Europe and was off somewhere every weekend who went and much to my delight it was one of the wettest recent ones. I'm too old and too soft to handle the camping/squalor - prefer Reading in a hotel or V.

I wouldn't go that far but it is interesting to speculate what would have happened if "a mug" hadn't been found in 2007. Pisser is it might have meant the Arabs would have bought us a year later instead of City.

keep an odd knife in the kitchen drawer to place on him after you've beaten him svagely There was a lad I knew who I used to go to the matches by train a few years ago who became good mates with one of my mates who made the NE news when he got hold of a burglar. He hit the bloke with a hammer "he had handy as he'd been doing some DIY" and came across in his interview as a fine upstanding citizen driven to desparate measures to protect his wife and kid. He told us the truth at the next match - he'd seen the bloke climbing over his back yard wall and got his hammer out and pretty much hit the bloke as soon as he opened the back door he'd forced. The bloke was obviously hurt pretty badly but not life threatening. As I said it was the contrast between his TV interview persona and the heed the ball we knew that provided the amusement.

Threads like these tend to have people who assume they are hard and will be able to cope with burglars - unfortunately I'd guess most of us would be pretty terrified especially if there was more than one of them. I also wouldn't necessarily fancy getting stuck in to desperate junkies. On baseball bats/ golf clubs etc I'd always thought you would have to have a good explanation as to why you had such a thing to hand but Manc Mag is probably right that its case by case.

I fucking hate the BBC's coverage of festivals - "exclusive" acoustic sets in their tent while bands are playing live. They have 2 channels at least (more with the red button) so should just have cameras at each stage all day and all night. (Not cool I know but I'll be watching U2)

What do you do if almost all of your turnover is taken by wages and other costs and that turnover is not expandable to any great degree? That's the sitiation now for nearly all Premier league clubs including us. Given that situation it comes down to generating funds from sales or investment from owners which is our problem as Ashley won't do it. in that case, he isn't ever going to do "better than Fred", exactly as I said years ago, and despite what so many people claimed would happen. And it is still no excuse for competing at the levels of Bolton and Blackburn. I agree but if you spend all your wages on your mortgage etc and the bloke down the road in the shitter house with the shitter job does exactly the same then you're both equally as poor - if there is no money left over how could we outspend Bolton? aren't we outspending Bolton ? Why not ? We should be. What is wrong with the revenues at NUFC if we can't outspend a club like Bolton ? When Mike Ashley took over NUFC we had the 14th biggest revenues in football ? But if all or nearly your revenues go on wages you have nothing left that's my point. When things were at their best previously we were spending 46% on wages so simply put that left 54% for transfers. By 2007 the figure was 86% I think which means 40% less which explains the loss as transfer money was borrowed - that;s just the way football has gone. As I said nearly all clubs now have no money left over and rely on their owners to make up any shortfall. If we have say 10m "left" at the end of the year from 100m and Bolton have 10m left from 60m its still 10m each. If you want to expand the turnover then as Toontoon said, you're talking about £60 match tickets or £1000 STs.

What do you do if almost all of your turnover is taken by wages and other costs and that turnover is not expandable to any great degree? That's the sitiation now for nearly all Premier league clubs including us. Given that situation it comes down to generating funds from sales or investment from owners which is our problem as Ashley won't do it. in that case, he isn't ever going to do "better than Fred", exactly as I said years ago, and despite what so many people claimed would happen. And it is still no excuse for competing at the levels of Bolton and Blackburn. I agree but if you spend all your wages on your mortgage etc and the bloke down the road in the shitter house with the shitter job does exactly the same then you're both equally as poor - if there is no money left over how could we outspend Bolton?

What do you do if almost all of your turnover is taken by wages and other costs and that turnover is not expandable to any great degree? That's the sitiation now for nearly all Premier league clubs including us. Given that situation it comes down to generating funds from sales or investment from owners which is our problem as Ashley won't do it.

^ completely agree - its about time he decided what he wants to do and what it is he's actually in it for. Even if the cautious appoarch worked from a business pov and he started making 20m a year, it would still take 12 years or more before he's up on the entire deal. Even if his intention was to sell in a year or two, a "daft" punt on gaining a few places would be repaid in the selling price imo. I suppose if he thinks last year was enjoyable overall then maybe he thinks that's enough - in which case someone should try and explain what it would be like watching a good team.

Well if it was mental age every bloke would proudly put that range

That's what I think as well - though a "good" season combined with trouble elsewhere could see us higher. Be interesing to see what Spurs do if Modric stays transfer wise or indeed if he goes. There are a few teams who think they can aim for 7th as well.

There are millions of books on every subject written by people who claim to be experts which are still complete and utter drivel. Haven't 54 teams went into administration?

He was very clear on wanting a permanent deal if his chances were going to be limited so I'd say it would be worth waiting to see if the new manager wants new people or wants him first.

Probably woudn't help but I always thought the best repsonse to marches designed to provoke on either side would be a mass public moon rather than biting.

Without defending it in anyway, I think he thinks we can unearth a Tiote or two every year so by the end of the x years we have a good basis. Once again proving how clueless he is when it comes to football.

I know this is a stupid thing to say since its why we're all here but if we could "forget" the football for a minute then if his current plan means his exit is sooner rather than later then a part of me wants it to succeed as medium/long term I hope that would be for the best. Of course these signings have to work for that which is still a big doubt for me.

Well I think Noelie is in the last group and I'm not sure whether he bothers with GC - maybe RobW?

He's lost money every single year he's been here man Leazes. You give the nugget too much credit when you suggest he's running a profitable operation. By contrast your mates took millions upon millions out of the club year on year, even as we reported losses up to £30million a season. They new what they were doing to make money out of football. and don't forget that when the Halls and Shepherd took over the club, it brought an end to decades of european glory, silverware, Cup Finals and the signing of top footballers too. Bastards eh. Not sure how that relates to what I said. I'm not using personal profit as a stick to beat anyone, just pointing out that your attempt to do so actually does your argument more harm than good. And as the overall argument your making is one I generally agree with I wouldn't want you to harm that argument by accident. yes, I get your point, different way of looking at it though. But jaysouthernmag isn't really clear what level of "competition" he is referring to here ? Does he think our "level" is that of clubs such as Bolton and Blackburn, because I'm sure as fuck I have never expected either Mike Ashley or the Halls and Shepherd to compete with the sugar daddies of Chelsea and Man City. He appears to think we should be grateful to Mike Ashley for premiership survival, maybe he should clarify that despite having the 3rd biggest support in the country and the 14th biggest revenues in europe when he bought the club, survival in the premiership is actually, in his opinion, our true level. Couldn't agree more. Kevin Keegan's approach is that if you aren't competing to win, then you aren't competing. Hanging around and hoping for better than tenth place isn't competing. It should be the approach of anyone in sports. But there seems to be a view that it's just about the taking part. This view gives rise to the notion that we have to embrace Ashley because he can't afford to invest at a level demanded to be succesful, and that seems very odd to me. If I go and buy Arsenal, drag them down from their current lofty heights and use the excuse that I personally can't afford to compete with richer individuals and corporate owners - whatever the size of the stadium, catchment area and history - then I'd expect to be hated. I have no business buying one of the biggest clubs in the country because I don't have the means to provide for that club as it requires. If Ashley didn't think it would be this expensive then it's his mistake we're all paying for. Ridiculous that some fans are embracing this. Hooray, balanced books and the odd away win against Bolton. I honestly don't see how you equate describing the situation as it is with "embracing it". I've pretty consistent in saying I think Ashley should stump up his own cash as that's the only way he's ever going to get it back, daft sale not withstanding. Would he have spent the unplanned 100m if the debt hadn't been there? - I don't know but now we find ourselves with someone who has decided to be cautious and that is to our pain. In practical terms there's not much we can do but hope for a change of mind from him or another roll of the owner dice - I think he knows he's unloved but I don't think that's a factor either way. What I do think is that even if it does mean accepting to some degree a return to the bad old days where we never expected anything but just travelled in hope, suddenly demanding a "right" to finish above a list of probably 6 clubs is a bit unrealistic - no matter how positive we all want to be.

You need to stop putting people in baskets. If someone crticises certain elements of the previous regime it does not mean that they 1. Wanted them out, 2. Celebrated their exit or 3. Didn't enjoy every single minute of the good times. Also if someone grits their teeth and says that some elements of Ashley's decisions make sense (remember you saying paying off the mortgage was a good idea in that post CT found) it doesn't mean that overall they think he's anything other than a fat cockney cunt who will probably never see success at the club. Do you think that's possible? I give opinions on issues in the context of the times - what worked in 2001 will not work in 2011 - that's the underlying concept I think you won't admit. I've said a million times I think we should be competing at the top end but know that Ashley simply won't finance that - without going all CT I think the best we can do is try and make the best of that situation and enjoy it as much as we can. On a personal note that just means that I don't want to go to games at the moment - nothing to do with Ashley really in a major way though there's an element - but I still want to see the team play well and finish as high as possible.

Man City were bought by Shinwatra a month before Ashley bought NUFC as well.

I think we can challenge for Europe but it will be C.L. it will be Europa league, we should be competing for a top 7 finish every season 7th spot isn't europe. Nor is 6th. Toontoon's post credit's Mike with a hard nosed insight none of us clowns that have watched the club for decades can possibly have. That being we can't threaten the top 5 as we don't have the support. Despite having the third highest attendance average in the league. But then the club are saying we can compete with the 6 teams that fight it out for those 5 places. If Mike had a clue, why doesn't he educate the fans on reality, rather than insisting we'll push for it and spend £35m+ etc. I think the point about the raw money that the attendance figures equate to is a fair one. I don't think anyone wants to see £1000 STs at SJP but if his figures are correct, that and possibly more is what it would take to compete on match receipts alone assuming any kind of take-up. Even then ignoring the points about cup ties which are generally true imo. I think with decent buys (not withstanding some unneccesary sales imo) we can compete at around the 6th/7th level. Given the few other clubs who probably feel the same, I don't think a cautious "top 10 every year" is that bad at the moment. Of course I want more but don't honestly feel my expectations have been lowered by Ashley - just a bit of realism. as in post number 272 : "you mean, you aren't attracted to the club like you were by the Halls and Shepherd ? " No reply ? I thought you said "I don't answer questions" etc etc..... This is the WHOLE point. You people who slate "Fred" and the "trophy signings" [that attracted you to the club] but are now backing Mike Ashleys running of the club, why don't YOU back him with your own cash anymore if you think things are so much better ? Do you not get the hypocrisy and irony in what you are saying [and that goes for those on skunkers too, including TT, and I have posted this comment in the past over there too] with no direct reply, surprise surprise. I got sick of telling you I started going in the 70s and went to more matches from 1980-2009 than you did so didn't bother answering as there's no fucking point.

I think we can challenge for Europe but it will be C.L. it will be Europa league, we should be competing for a top 7 finish every season 7th spot isn't europe. Nor is 6th. Toontoon's post credit's Mike with a hard nosed insight none of us clowns that have watched the club for decades can possibly have. That being we can't threaten the top 5 as we don't have the support. Despite having the third highest attendance average in the league. But then the club are saying we can compete with the 6 teams that fight it out for those 5 places. If Mike had a clue, why doesn't he educate the fans on reality, rather than insisting we'll push for it and spend £35m+ etc. I think the point about the raw money that the attendance figures equate to is a fair one. I don't think anyone wants to see £1000 STs at SJP but if his figures are correct, that and possibly more is what it would take to compete on match receipts alone assuming any kind of take-up. Even then ignoring the points about cup ties which are generally true imo. I think with decent buys (not withstanding some unneccesary sales imo) we can compete at around the 6th/7th level. Given the few other clubs who probably feel the same, I don't think a cautious "top 10 every year" is that bad at the moment. Of course I want more but don't honestly feel my expectations have been lowered by Ashley - just a bit of realism.