***Official Mike Ashley Euro express thread***

[Happy Face 29]

Just for info, the all time low of the share price was something like 20p making the club worth £25m at that time. Throughout 2006 and early 2007, Fred, John and Douglas all bought loads of shares. I think Fred went from 20% to 30% of all shares. This restricts supply of shares on the market, which of course increases the share price. The only reason to do this if you are not going to make a bid to be the majority shareholder (required by law once a single shareholder owns 30%) is to maximise income from a sale.

 

I think that covers the 2 peaks to the very right on the graph.

 

Shepherd was worryingly like a gambler chasing his losses towards the end, they were playing with fire given the amount of borrowing they were doing to support their manager, and running out of things to borrow against.

 

I think Shepherd's shortcomings tend to be overstated by the current heirarchy sometimes though*, in order to forgive the sins of Ashley, who it shouldn't be forgotten was free and easy with daft transfer fees (£5m for Xisco?) and long contracts for has-beens (Alan Smith?). He drastically worsened the financials at the club by getting us relegated, and he was complaining about the expensive contracts players had when he was the one that signed all those contracts that were ongoing in the team.

 

Like Shepherd though, it's all in the past. In 2 and a half years Ashley's managed consistent improvement on the pitch (even if he irritates off the pitch - sacking the manager, renaming the stadium, moving swathes of supporters, selling top performers etc.). If he achieves 6th/7th this season, then the appreciation will be short lived, the concern will be that improvement will cease as he doesn't have the ambition to bring in a Modrc, an Adebayor or a van Der vaart.

 

*Not that anyone would mention it if Leazes didn't go on about how he was the dogs bollocks.

Edited January 16, 2012 by Happy Face

[Dr Gloom 21921]

"I've been saying it for 4 years. And I'll still be boring the tits off everyone with it in 4 years time. I was right. You and others were wrong. And even if it wasn't specifically you (why do you think I mention others), and you weren't specifically wrong, do you think I'm going to let that get in the way of my triumphalism over the fact that I got something right? And yeah maybe I wasn't completely right, maybe things have taken a turn for the better recently. But do you think that's going to make me shut up? Fucking think again. I'm here to shout even louder about how right I am, and about how you and others are wrong. And I don't care that it's boring you. And I don't care that I could probably find better things to do with my time. I think I'm right about this, and I'm fucked if I'm not going to turn up every day to tell you how right I was and point out that you (and if not you then CERTAINLY others) were wrong. Tell the others if you see them. I want everyone to know about this."

 

:lol:

 

it's only january and already we have a post of the year contender

Edited January 16, 2012 by Dr Gloom

[LeazesMag 0]

"I've been saying it for 4 years. And I'll still be boring the tits off everyone with it in 4 years time. I was right. You and others were wrong. And even if it wasn't specifically you (why do you think I mention others), and you weren't specifically wrong, do you think I'm going to let that get in the way of my triumphalism over the fact that I got something right? And yeah maybe I wasn't completely right, maybe things have taken a turn for the better recently. But do you think that's going to make me shut up? Fucking think again. I'm here to shout even louder about how right I am, and about how you and others are wrong. And I don't care that it's boring you. And I don't care that I could probably find better things to do with my time. I think I'm right about this, and I'm fucked if I'm not going to turn up every day to tell you how right I was and point out that you (and if not you then CERTAINLY others) were wrong. Tell the others if you see them. I want everyone to know about this."

 

:lol:

 

it's only january and already we have a post of the year contender

 

and the u-turn of the year contender.....

[LeazesMag 0]

Maximizing its income?? If I go and max out my credit cards, get a few bank loans and remortage my house is that maximizing my income or is it reckless spending?

 

That's what happend under Halls/Fred towards the end, although you will never admit the finances were in a very poor state.

 

Ashley is running the club within its means, not as exciting but that's how it is

 

you truly are a hopeless case.

You saying the finances were sound when Ashley bought the club?

 

I'm still waiting for you to show me where I said we would finish 4th

 

as the wannabee accountant ie Toonpack particularly, doesn't answer the question, maybe you can tell us when exactly when a club that has the 14th biggest revenues in football needs to stop selling its best players and pocketing the cash, presumably to increase its spending power [i say presumably because we have not seen it], or else where is that money, and how much more revenue does it need exactly to not sell its best players and back their managers [to phrase it more simply for you ?]

I would say, judging by what has been said, when the club can support itself. Pay wages,pay bills etc, just like any other business. That how Ashley is running it, its not exciting but its how it is. I'm sure he's still injecting cash too. £35 mil won't go along way in a football club although you are oblivious to the fact. On the football side tho things are a bit more rosey, we are sitting above big spending Liverpool in 6th after more than half the season, flash in the pan? I would give Pardew and the players more credit than that.

 

Pocketing the cash? Has Ashley banked it and not put any of it into the club? Proof?

 

Selling our best players??

 

Sold Carroll in what seems to have been the second best deal in the last few years. What was the best? BA on a free, pulled off by NUFC

 

are these bad deals??

 

Offloaded a past his best Nolan, Joey Barton to QPR on 80k a week? Both terrible deals for the club? I think not.

 

Got an Italian u21 international from Inter to replace Jose and tbh looks a fair replacement

 

Cabaye, a France international and league champion with champions league experience, who has turned out to be a great looking player, how much was he?

 

Tiote? A dutch league winner who along with Cabaye would walk into most of the top 6 teams

 

Ben Arfa for £5m?

 

I'm not an Ashley lover but you have to give some credit to what has been built at a low cost and accept we have a side that has earned its place in the top 6 so far

 

sadly, european places on a consistent basis, are not dished out for having balance sheets, and consistent long term on the field performance - which DOES achieve it - is not achieved by selling your best players and pocketing the cash.

Which of our best players do you mean and what's happened to the cash??

 

are you for real ? Seriously ?

[jaythesouthernmag 0]

Maximizing its income?? If I go and max out my credit cards, get a few bank loans and remortage my house is that maximizing my income or is it reckless spending?

 

That's what happend under Halls/Fred towards the end, although you will never admit the finances were in a very poor state.

 

Ashley is running the club within its means, not as exciting but that's how it is

 

you truly are a hopeless case.

You saying the finances were sound when Ashley bought the club?

 

I'm still waiting for you to show me where I said we would finish 4th

 

as the wannabee accountant ie Toonpack particularly, doesn't answer the question, maybe you can tell us when exactly when a club that has the 14th biggest revenues in football needs to stop selling its best players and pocketing the cash, presumably to increase its spending power [i say presumably because we have not seen it], or else where is that money, and how much more revenue does it need exactly to not sell its best players and back their managers [to phrase it more simply for you ?]

I would say, judging by what has been said, when the club can support itself. Pay wages,pay bills etc, just like any other business. That how Ashley is running it, its not exciting but its how it is. I'm sure he's still injecting cash too. £35 mil won't go along way in a football club although you are oblivious to the fact. On the football side tho things are a bit more rosey, we are sitting above big spending Liverpool in 6th after more than half the season, flash in the pan? I would give Pardew and the players more credit than that.

 

Pocketing the cash? Has Ashley banked it and not put any of it into the club? Proof?

 

Selling our best players??

 

Sold Carroll in what seems to have been the second best deal in the last few years. What was the best? BA on a free, pulled off by NUFC

 

are these bad deals??

 

Offloaded a past his best Nolan, Joey Barton to QPR on 80k a week? Both terrible deals for the club? I think not.

 

Got an Italian u21 international from Inter to replace Jose and tbh looks a fair replacement

 

Cabaye, a France international and league champion with champions league experience, who has turned out to be a great looking player, how much was he?

 

Tiote? A dutch league winner who along with Cabaye would walk into most of the top 6 teams

 

Ben Arfa for £5m?

 

I'm not an Ashley lover but you have to give some credit to what has been built at a low cost and accept we have a side that has earned its place in the top 6 so far

 

sadly, european places on a consistent basis, are not dished out for having balance sheets, and consistent long term on the field performance - which DOES achieve it - is not achieved by selling your best players and pocketing the cash.

Which of our best players do you mean and what's happened to the cash??

 

are you for real ? Seriously ?

Yep, do tell

[LeazesMag 0]

Maximizing its income?? If I go and max out my credit cards, get a few bank loans and remortage my house is that maximizing my income or is it reckless spending?

 

That's what happend under Halls/Fred towards the end, although you will never admit the finances were in a very poor state.

 

Ashley is running the club within its means, not as exciting but that's how it is

 

you truly are a hopeless case.

You saying the finances were sound when Ashley bought the club?

 

I'm still waiting for you to show me where I said we would finish 4th

 

as the wannabee accountant ie Toonpack particularly, doesn't answer the question, maybe you can tell us when exactly when a club that has the 14th biggest revenues in football needs to stop selling its best players and pocketing the cash, presumably to increase its spending power [i say presumably because we have not seen it], or else where is that money, and how much more revenue does it need exactly to not sell its best players and back their managers [to phrase it more simply for you ?]

I would say, judging by what has been said, when the club can support itself. Pay wages,pay bills etc, just like any other business. That how Ashley is running it, its not exciting but its how it is. I'm sure he's still injecting cash too. £35 mil won't go along way in a football club although you are oblivious to the fact. On the football side tho things are a bit more rosey, we are sitting above big spending Liverpool in 6th after more than half the season, flash in the pan? I would give Pardew and the players more credit than that.

 

Pocketing the cash? Has Ashley banked it and not put any of it into the club? Proof?

 

Selling our best players??

 

Sold Carroll in what seems to have been the second best deal in the last few years. What was the best? BA on a free, pulled off by NUFC

 

are these bad deals??

 

Offloaded a past his best Nolan, Joey Barton to QPR on 80k a week? Both terrible deals for the club? I think not.

 

Got an Italian u21 international from Inter to replace Jose and tbh looks a fair replacement

 

Cabaye, a France international and league champion with champions league experience, who has turned out to be a great looking player, how much was he?

 

Tiote? A dutch league winner who along with Cabaye would walk into most of the top 6 teams

 

Ben Arfa for £5m?

 

I'm not an Ashley lover but you have to give some credit to what has been built at a low cost and accept we have a side that has earned its place in the top 6 so far

 

sadly, european places on a consistent basis, are not dished out for having balance sheets, and consistent long term on the field performance - which DOES achieve it - is not achieved by selling your best players and pocketing the cash.

Which of our best players do you mean and what's happened to the cash??

 

are you for real ? Seriously ?

Yep, do tell

 

Listen mate, myself and OBG, as older and knowledgeable supporters that have seen all this sort of thing before ie owners that have undersold the club through having no serious ambitions, have tried to explain to you. Do yourself a favour, and stop digging a hole for yourself, and listen.

[Guest alex]

There is the theory of the Moebius, a twist in the fabric of space where time becomes a loop. Loop where time becomes a. A loop where time becomes. Becomes a loop where time. Time becomes a loop where. Where time becomes a loop....

[toonotl 2979]

[Gemmill 44872]

Do yourself a favour Alex, and listen.

[jaythesouthernmag 0]

He's a fucking cockend, he knows his argument has severe flaws, sitting 6th in the league and having better players in BA,Cabaye and Tiote than Carroll,Barton and Nolan.

 

Noboby is saying Ashley is a good owner, nobody is predicting champions league but what we do have is a good side that's been built on a budget and people like Leazes would rather moan like fuck than admit we have a decent team that has been assembled by good scouting and prudent transfer dealings.

[Guest alex]

Being slightly serious for a minute, when Ashley was (or at least saying he was) sorting out the off-field financial problems, the call was often (from myself included) "It's on the pitch that matters". I think it's only fair to give credit where its due now seeing as we've got the best side in years playing for us now. If that gets fucked up by selling some of the better players then any subsequent criticism will, of course, be completely justified.

[Dr Gloom 21921]

He's a fucking cockend, he knows his argument has severe flaws, sitting 6th in the league and having better players in BA,Cabaye and Tiote than Carroll,Barton and Nolan.

 

Noboby is saying Ashley is a good owner, nobody is predicting champions league but what we do have is a good side that's been built on a budget and people like Leazes would rather moan like fuck than admit we have a decent team that has been assembled by good scouting and prudent transfer dealings.

 

ignore the old oaf. simples

[TicTacWoe 0]

Being slightly serious for a minute, when Ashley was (or at least saying he was) sorting out the off-field financial problems, the call was often (from myself included) "It's on the pitch that matters". I think it's only fair to give credit where its due now seeing as we've got the best side in years playing for us now. If that gets fucked up by selling some of the better players then any subsequent criticism will, of course, be completely justified.

 

 

Exactly. What the fuck is the point in following a football club if you can't enjoy the decent/good times?

Edited January 16, 2012 by TicTacWoe

[Andrew 4748]

Being slightly serious for a minute, when Ashley was (or at least saying he was) sorting out the off-field financial problems, the call was often (from myself included) "It's on the pitch that matters". I think it's only fair to give credit where its due now seeing as we've got the best side in years playing for us now. If that gets fucked up by selling some of the better players then any subsequent criticism will, of course, be completely justified.

 

good post

[Dr Gloom 21921]

it seems some get more pleasure from seeing us lose if it means they can come on here bleating about being right about everything.

[JawD 99]

Kind of where I'm at. Sick to the teeth of being pissed off at what he does behind the scenes. But, the thing that's most important is what is going on on the pitch. Under FFS etc I have said I ignored the finances, right or wrong as enjoyed the football. Same surely has to apply now? Forget about last year or the year before and forget about what "might" happen in the summer. Enjoy it now for what is it. If you go from day to day being pissed off with the club because of what they might do, you'll end up a right miserable fucker!

[Dr Gloom 21921]

Being slightly serious for a minute, when Ashley was (or at least saying he was) sorting out the off-field financial problems, the call was often (from myself included) "It's on the pitch that matters". I think it's only fair to give credit where its due now seeing as we've got the best side in years playing for us now. If that gets fucked up by selling some of the better players then any subsequent criticism will, of course, be completely justified.

 

that's the problem though innit. it would be just typical if the cunt tried to undo all the good work of the manager by selling colo or tiote on the last day of the window

[LeazesMag 0]

it seems some get more pleasure from seeing us lose if it means they can come on here bleating about being right about everything.

 

indeed you do, it seemed some got great pleasure for castigating owners who backed their managers and kept our best players, only to do a spectacular u-turn later and now bleat on for the very thing they moaned about when they had it.

 

While some of us just get on with supporting the club by going to games, and not being stupid enough to be fooled by a decent run of results achieved largely by a good manager doing very well despite having his hands tied behind his back.

Edited January 16, 2012 by LeazesMag

[toonotl 2979]

A brief interlude of decent discussion. Very true that we should enjoy what we have and live in hope. What else is there to do? Other than be a miserable prick 24/7.

[LeazesMag 0]

A brief interlude of decent discussion. Very true that we should enjoy what we have and live in hope. What else is there to do? Other than be a miserable prick 24/7.

 

what else is there to do ? You could try putting your cash into the club and demanding a return on the pitch, or becoming more aware of the size of club NUFC ought to be ?

 

Or, as Stevie said, either say something worthwhile or pipe down.

 

The first post in this thread talks about the clubs "bright future". It's actually on topic to say that this is not correct, the long term future is not so bright as the poster thinks it is, and I've explained the reasons why.

 

Unfortunately, "good discussion" doesn't begin and end with what you personally agree with......[even though you are wrong and time will prove it]

Edited January 16, 2012 by LeazesMag

[LeazesMag 0]

He's a fucking cockend, he knows his argument has severe flaws, sitting 6th in the league and having better players in BA,Cabaye and Tiote than Carroll,Barton and Nolan.

 

Noboby is saying Ashley is a good owner, nobody is predicting champions league but what we do have is a good side that's been built on a budget and people like Leazes would rather moan like fuck than admit we have a decent team that has been assembled by good scouting and prudent transfer dealings.

 

see the bigger picture. See top players sold and the cash pocketed, and signings like Lovenkrands, Perch, Routledge, Obertan, Simpson......if you are happy with a "decent" team, that says everything about you and your awareness of NUFC, sadly.

 

Give me one good reason why Carroll, Barton and Nolan should not still be at the club in addition to the signings of Ba and Cabaye ?

Edited January 16, 2012 by LeazesMag

[toonotl 2979]

A brief interlude of decent discussion. Very true that we should enjoy what we have and live in hope. What else is there to do? Other than be a miserable prick 24/7.

 

what else is there to do ? You could try putting your cash into the club and demanding a return on the pitch, or becoming more aware of the size of club NUFC ought to be ?

 

Or, as Stevie said, either say something worthwhile or pipe down.

 

The first post in this thread talks about the clubs "bright future". It's actually on topic to say that this is not correct, the long term future is not so bright as the poster thinks it is, and I've explained the reasons why.

 

Unfortunately, "good discussion" doesn't begin and end with what you personally agree with......[even though you are wrong and time will prove it]

 

We're in 6th place above Liverpool and level on points with Arsenal you fucking utter mong. You truly are a basket case.

 

As for your Stevie references. Its getting a bit tired. He was just grumpy cause I was having a bit of light hearted fun at his expense. I think he'd be embarrassed for you that you seem to want to bring in it up at every opportunity.

 

Seriously though, its a trend for you. You seem to latch on to things people say with a rainman like autistic determination to repeat yourself. I notice it even with criticisms leveled at you. For example if someone accuses you of not comprehending what has been said. You'll crap on about 'comprehension issues' for days. Or if someone accuses you of derailing threads you'll Rainman on about threads being derailed for days. You are sick. Your mind is broken. Seek help now. Thank me later.

[Andrew 4748]

6th in the league, looking reasonable for a Europa spot

 

despite our bad run Stoke never caught us and we're still in that group of 3 chasing 5th with Liverpool and Arsenal

 

been a fun season so far

[TicTacWoe 0]

Most enjoyable season (so far) since Robson was in charge I would say.

Edited January 16, 2012 by TicTacWoe

[Dr Gloom 21921]

6th in the league, looking reasonable for a Europa spot

 

despite our bad run Stoke never caught us and we're still in that group of 3 chasing 5th with Liverpool and Arsenal

 

been a fun season so far

 

been a fucking awesome season tbf. loving it, partly because it was so unexpected.