Statement from The Magpie Group to stop long-term Mike Ashley shackles on Newcastle United ambition
The Magpie Group have released a new statement on Wednesday as they continue to campaign against Mike Ashley.
This new statement is asking for the help of all fans to help prevent the current owner severely impacting on Newcastle United’s ambitions, even once he has departed.
They lay out the risks associated with the current planned development at Strawberry Place, opposite the Gallowgate End.
The development, if it goes ahead, would ensure no further expansion of St James Park even under ambitious new owners and would totally change/ruin the city centre skyline and views of Newcastle United’s stadium.
The more people who object the more chance there is of convincing Newcastle City Council to reject the plans, down below you will find an easy step by step guide on how to register your objection with the Council, which only takes a few minutes.
Remember, the land opposite Gallowgate was owned by Newcastle United – having been bought for a future SJP expansion when Hall and Shepherd were in control, only for Mike Ashley to then buy the land from NUFC once he took over the club and sell the land at a profit to developers, to ONLY benefit him (Mike Ashley).
Statement from The Magpie Group:
‘What Mike Ashley is looking to do is far bigger than turning a football club into ad billboard, which really says something. At least you could say that new owners at some point would change that.
What he is looking to do is bigger than the lies he has spouted throughout his time owning the club. We always say with a crumb of hope that he will leave one day. That a time will come when we can become a club trying to be the best it can rather than stagnate to serve a retail company. That one day we can get on being a football club, with the chance to can grow as much as it can.
But Mike Ashley’s plans could even put a stop to that possibly, way after he has left the club.
Imagine a club not able to grow because of someone who doesn’t even own the club?
If Mike Ashley and Newcastle City council push ahead with their plans, this would be reality.
We could be filling the ground week in week out with new owners and a large waiting list for season tickets, but unable to extend St. James Park, with any new owners having their hands completely tied. All the while other clubs overtake more & more in attendance and before we know it the one thing we’re most famous for, our support, would pale into insignificance.
Barring the sports retailers signs bringing down the aesthetic, St. James Park is a stunningly built stadium. It is unique in design and in location. Every fan is looking forward to the day the sports retailers signs, which are plastered everywhere, are removed to return the ground it its original polished looked. Looking at the ground developments over the years tell an amazing story, the view of the stadium when walking up is special. The skyline is dominated by the ‘cathedral on the hill’.
Mike Ashley is looking to prevent the possibly of any other chapter being written in our famous ground’s history. All while he would be getting on with his life somewhere else, we would be stuck with the ramifications of his actions. It is unclear whether his motivation is purely greed, vindictiveness, an utter lack of understanding of a total indifference. It’s actually disgusting behaviour, whatever his reasons.
The FA refuse to help, the Premier League refuse to help, despite the fact he is actively damaging their brand.
All being well, the possibility of a 60,000 capacity stadium with the Gallowgate End matching the Leazes and a buoyant St James Park is completely in the interests of the governing bodies.
Newcastle United Supporters Trust are fighting this legally and the Magpie Group take their hat off at such incredible work. We all need to come together to stand up to this man. It is worth noting that Newcastle City Council need to take a long hard look at the marvels and who they are representing. Their actions will also have ramifications so long lasting they and their members will be remembered for all of the wrong reasons.’
(From Monday’s article ‘Add your objection today against Gallowgate development that stops St James Park ever expanding’)
We have done a short step by step guide detailing how to get to where you need to, so you can object and comment (it is simple and will only take you a few minutes. This probably makes it sound more complicated than it actually is but thought worth detailing step by step just in case…).
A quick step by step guide to objecting:
Click HERE to go to Newcastle City Council planning page.
Then second option down is ‘Search by reference number’, click that and then enter 2019/0879/01/DET to take you direct to the SJP/Gallowgate planning application.
At the top of that page click ‘Register’ and you enter name, address and password, then an email is sent for you to click to confirm you are registered and now able to comment/object.
Log-in using your email and password, then search once again using 2019/0879/01/DET and then click ‘Commenter type’ and choose ‘Member of the public’
Then click ‘Object’ and leave your comment below that, explaining why you don’t want the development to go ahead.
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