The National Union of Journalists believe that Mike Ashley’s pattern of behaviour is simply helping to drive Newcastle United ‘further towards irrelevance’.

Alan Pardew has said that he has told the players they are fighting opposition teams, the press, opposition supporters, as well as even some Newcastle fans.

Mike Ashley today banned Alan Pardew and the players from talking to the press, or at least the ones who don’t pay for the privilege.

The Newcastle manager pulls a comedy smile and after the final whistle Alan Pardew attacks press for recent coverage, what’s it all about?

Martin Black believes that Mike Ashley has successfully recreated the George Orwell classic 1984 at St.James’ Park – Big Brother is indeed watching you.

The news of the latest Mike Ashley press ban, unless they pay for player access, was another sad day for NUFC but here at The Mag we were ahead of the game.

Whose decision was it to keep him (Cabaye) out of the West Ham game?

Alan Pardew; “You can ask but you ain’t getting an answer.”

One local news organisation that we challenged (we’ll protect their identity to save them embarrassment) as to why they hadn’t credited us, said that they had somebody who could do French translations but when they saw ours they didn’t see why they should bother. Their main defence when we asked about not crediting The Mag as the source of ‘their’ story was to say ‘well everybody else does this as well’.

If he’d said it was to grab headlines and help his bosses sell more papers/get more coverage I’d be more inclined to give the benefit of the doubt, however Edwards has claimed that he actually did it for the good of the club!

The accusations have obviously brought a spirited response from our manager and hopefully it will produce a similarly spirited, but focused, reaction from the players. A huge match for everybody connected to Newcastle United but only eleven people have the chance to put things right tomorrow.