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Opinion

Newcastle United fans now displaying seriously worrying signs of Stockholm Syndrome

4 years ago
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Stockholm Syndrome looks once again to be striking deep into the Newcastle United fanbase.

It doesn’t affect the majority of supporters but there are worries that it has taken a serious grip on a significant minority.

We have seen similar breakouts of the Stockholm Syndrome in the recent past amongst Newcastle fans.

For the past decade or longer, Tyneside seeing clear symptoms come to the surface amongst a vocal minority, that have baffled the rest of the NUFC fanbase.

***In case you didn’t know, Stockholm Syndrome is defined as:

‘A condition in which hostages develop a psychological alliance with their captors during captivity.

Emotional bonds formed between captor and captives, during intimate time together.

However, these are generally considered irrational in light of the danger or risk endured by the victims.’

To be honest, I can find no other rational explanation as to why I am seeing comments such as these about Mike Ashley and what is (not?) happening this summer…

‘You cannot blame Mike Ashley this time for not spending owt this summer, it’s the Premier League to blame with the takeover.’

‘We’ve just got to get behind Steve Bruce and the lads, major financial hit for the club with the virus and that, just have to get on with it.’

‘Looks like just frees and loans this summer, that’s just the way it is, cannot blame Ashley for much of this, everybody suffering cos of Covid.’

‘I think we’re having a decent transfer window, got Mark Gillespie in, Matty’s signed a new contract, Jeff Hendrick a really good signing on a free when confirmed. If get a striker and left-back in, will have done really well.’

‘People need to get real, not the owner’s fault. He’s done his best to sell the club and been dropped in it, need battlers this season and Hendrick great signing.’

‘I think we have a great chance of staying up, Bruce did a lot better than most of us thought he would, we can do it!’

‘Have to laugh at those Newcastle fans wanting Mike Ashley to dip in his own pocket and finance top players this summer. We cannot compete with the top teams, everybody just has to pull together with what we’ve got.’

‘People moaning about loan deals and free transfers this summer, have they not heard about Covid??? All clubs are the same apart from the few at the top, nobody can afford to pay big transfer fees.’

‘Steve Bruce has come in and steadied the ship, good choice by Ashley. Bruce has shown before he can buy great players with not much money, likes of Maguire and Robertson. I trust him to do well and find some real gems. Plus Bruce has said Mike Ashley’s promised to back him.’

I can excuse some of our younger fans because if you know nothing else but like under Mike Ashley as a Newcastle fan, then a lot more difficult to have a decent perspective.

However, anybody who has a few more years on the clock must surely realise that this is just abysmal.

It is the same old nonsense from Mike Ashley that we have seen for over a decade, getting PR messages out in the media, the local media in particular like meek mice when they should be kicking up a right stink about what is (isn’t) happening.

Anybody who watched us last season, know for fact that we were ridiculously lucky not to be relegated.

So much luck in so many matches, picking up points in games where we had no right to get them. Our goal at times leading a charmed life, with the help of an outstanding Dubravka. Whilst at the other end, literally the only plan was to give the ball to ASM (usually deep in his own half!) and hope he could do something. That stat about only one win in the games ASM didn’t start, says it all.

As does the stat that says NUFC had the third worst form of all PL clubs over the final twenty games last season. Only four wins since Christmas 2019 and they were against Southampton and Sheffield United after they were reduced to 10 men, the lucky last minute win over Chelsea, plus demolition of a woeful Bournemouth on the day.

We needed a massive turnover of players this summer, getting rid of so many of them who aren’t good enough, then serious investment to bring in the players we desperately need, especially when it comes to scoring goals and creativity.

Yes the takeover not happening has smashed the summer BUT that doesn’t then excuse Mike Ashley dooming us to a car crash season ahead.

Nothing wrong with loans or free transfers but only when alongside ambitious signings as well, not instead of.

I am also amazed at times with how many people are seemingly totally unaware of what is happening elsewhere, that other Premier League clubs aren’t acting like Mike Ashley is at Newcastle, getting Steve Bruce to talk about the virus impacting on transfer spending at every single opportunity. Other clubs are still buying players, not just the ‘big six’ but pretty much every other club are spending money. There is always an excuse, when we got promoted we were told not much money to spend because we’d been in the Championship, Leeds have been out of the PL for 16 years and they are spending plenty. The thing is though, plenty Newcastle fans, as well as media, seem to buy the Ashley propaganda.

None of us asked Mike Ashley to buy the club and use it as a massive advertising hoarding for his tat empire.

He is a multi-billionaire and needs to ensure that Newcastle United are in a fit state ahead of the new season.

With less than three weeks to go and now on day 28 of the transfer window, we are stuck still with Steve Bruce and not a single first team brought in.

The pre-season training camp is coming to an end near York and no new first team signings getting the chance to integrate.

If Newcastle United really bomb this season and you don’t understand it is the fault of Mike Ashley, then you have a really serious case of Stockholm Syndrome.

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