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Who Wants 10th?

10 years ago
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Ambling away from the Emirates on Monday night after witnessing another predictably flat performance, and having plenty of time to ponder as I walked and walked thanks to the tube strike, I realised that losing no longer hurts me at all.

As the goals flew in, and our resistance was low again, I didn’t get the sickness in the pit of my stomach that I’m SUPPOSED to get as a lifelong fan.

(To feature like Paul, send in your letters/articles for our website to contribute@themag.co.uk)

Mike Ashley and his yes-men puppets have sucked the life and soul out of my Club, and they have succeeded in removing the passion that I have always had following the Toon through thin and thinner, over the past 40 plus years.

Catching up on the TV interviews later and the subsequent player interviews, a deeper depression sunk in.

Apparently Alan Pardew can’t give Newcastle fans what they want, because (being a bit thick and unrealistic) we think we should always be challenging for success on the pitch. Mr Pardew thinks fans really want a victory on Saturday in what will be a “cup final” so that we can claim 10th place which (unbelievably) is our goal. At the same time the excuses are being readied that if we don’t win then it will be because the crowd aren’t getting behind Pardew and the team.

I don’t speak for anyone but myself, but the notion that I and others think we should be winning trophies and constantly challenging Man City and Chelsea is laughable on one level, but alarming on another.

There used to be 15,000 people on the waiting list for season tickets a number of years ago, and we had not won anything.

I haven’t seen us win a major trophy since 1969 but people like me used to LOVE going to SJP because we had a team to be proud of who tried their best, played good football, and had ambition to improve and succeed.

Listening to SBR or KK’s comments after matches was compelling because they told it to us the way it was. No fluff, no excuses. They connected with the fans. Further back and prior to TV saturation, Joe Harvey was similarly honest and passionate about the Club and our performances.

The difference now is that the waiting list has disappeared, many season ticket holders are not renewing, and Mr Ashley doesn’t know ( or doesn’t want to know) that the reason is simply that his corrupt regime has killed our passion and ripped the soul out of the Club by telling lies, making excuse after excuse, stamping down on anyone who speaks up, making all our good players available for transfer in each window to signal our lack of ambition, and making NUFC merely a cash generating vehicle with no regard for what supporters want or can even accept.

I’ll tell you what I want Mr Ashley.

I want honesty, and not the drivel that comes out of your Manager’s mouth after every game.

I want the truth about our finances and how much you are making out of the Club whilst giving your SD Brand (and many others) FOC advertising and exposure.

I want a team that pulls together and looks like they actually want to wear the shirt.

I want a modicum of ambition that says we will at least try to have a cup run or compete with the likes of Everton or Spurs (who looked at us with envy before you turned up).

I want you to explain why a decent man like Chris Hughton was sacked after getting us promoted as Champions, then getting us into mid-table in the Premier League, and you replace him with a Manager whose goal is to get us into mid-table in the Premier League!

Most of all, I want to know when you are leaving with your fat profit tucked away in your back pocket.

I have never thought Pardew was the problem. He may not be a very good manager but I dread to think of who Ashley will bring in next. I just know he would be another cheap yes man. I won’t be singing “Pardew Out” on Saturday, because that just doesn’t get to the root of the problem.

So as I head to SJP for the Cardiff match, I apologise for not being as happy as Pardew, Charnley, and the players if we finish 10th so that they get their hefty bonuses. The reason the fans aren’t bothered about finishing 10th or 11th is that we don’t get a bonus, and the truth is we don’t think you deserve one either.

As we stand today after 36 games, NUFC are 16 points ahead of the bottom team, and a massive 34 points behind the team at the top, a team that finished with less points than us 2 years ago but a team who have an Owner with a sporting vision.

If you agree that’s a successful season for NUFC and progress for the resources we have, then of course bonuses should be paid to those responsible for this shameful mediocrity.

I see Pardew is promising a big Summer of activity. Unless Ashley is one of those on his way out before next season, with a new Owner coming in, I won’t be back for a very very long time.

Ashley has had his last penny from me.

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