Newcastle United are third in the league, were even in second place for a couple of hours, and all is well on the football field. Fear not Toon fans, Mike Ashley and cohort Derek Llambias are always here to bring us crashing back down to earth. Sure enough, they are going to rename St James’s Park to Sports Direct Arena.

The benefits? According to Derek Llambias, the benefits will be in the region of £10 million, or enough for a striker. Wait a minute? What happened to the £35 million that we got from the Scousers back in January which we were promised would be invested back into the playing squad? Regardless, Mike Ashley’s tacky Sports Direct Logo will be plastered all over St. James’s Park.

I think back when I was a kid, and I used to sit on the concrete barriers in the Gallowgate, and getting knocked off every time there was a surge. We all have our own memories and remember our first game in the stadium we’ve come to know as ours.

The two blokes currently in stewardship of our club cannot remove 120 years of history and memories from our stadium, and that’s why it will always be St James’s Park.

When Andy Carroll left Newcastle United back in January the fans were told that all of the £35 million would be invested in players. Here are the players we’ve signed since then:

• Yohann Cabaye (around £5 mil)
• Demba Ba (Free transfer)
• Silvain Marveaux (Free transfer)
• Mehdi Abeid (Free transfer)
• Davide Santon (Undisclosed – thought to be about £5 million)
• Gabriel Obertan (£3 million)
• Rob Elliot (Thought to be around £250k)

In that same time period, we have let go or sold the following players:

• Sol Campbell (Free)
• Sheki Kuqi (Free)
• Kevin Nolan (£4.5 million)
• Joey Barton (Free transfer)
• Jose Enrique (£5.5 million)
• Wayne Routledge (£2 million)

Newcastle’s outlay on players appears to be pretty good, certainly Obertan, Cabaye and Santon are young, quality players. However, when you consider that our top goalscorers for the past season are no longer at the club, then goals become a concern – at least to everyone except Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias that is.

The one thing that has me infuriated with our inability to land a proven goalscorer during the transfer window is that we have had eight months in which to do so. I don’t hold Alan Pardew completely from blame because he’s been the one saying “judge us on September 1st.” Well Alan, it’s September 2nd and we’re no closer to having a proven goalscorer than we were when Andy Carroll left. Yes, Mike Ashley and Llambias are the money men and ultimately they’re the one’s striking the deal, but did Alan Pardew underestimate how tight fisted Mike Ashley would be? It certainly seems like it – I doubt even silver-tongued Pardew would spout the nonsense about judging the club after transfer deadline day if he didn’t expect significant progress.

Either Mike Ashley considers our good start to the season a sign of the future, or that he’s just unwilling to spend. Even still, it’s been 8 months! Putting in deadline day bids for someone who was pretty much a done deal is just the sort of desperate thing Ashley would do.

The worse thing about this though is that Mike Ashley has Newcastle United fans where he wants us. We keep going back for more, and he still continues to take advantage. Unless someone meets Mike’s valuation of the club, this could go on for a long time yet.

#AllWeCareAboutIsNUFC

John Carver and Cheick Tiote both committed their long term future to Newcastle United as they both signed contracts today. Tiote, who Newcastle signed from FC Twente last summer has been a revelation in midfield alongside Kevin Nolan. Tiote goes from an £8,000 p/week deal to a £50,000 p/week deal according to the Sun (we all know how reliable they are). The contract is until 2016/17.

John Carver meanwhile, who was brought in on a temporary basis by Alan Pardew, signs a five-and-a-half year deal to keep him at St. James’s Park for the forseeable future. It’s Carver’s hometown club, so we can only expect the signing of the contract to be a formality really. He would have had to really mess things up for a long term contract not to be offered.

However, before we all dance into the Strawberry and toast Mike Ashley for investing in the club, we have to remember that not long before he was sold, none other than Andy Carroll signed a long term contract. I hate to put a downer on things because I’m all for quality players committing their future at NUFC, but there’s something about this which seems too good to be true.

If we get Barton and Enrique on long term deals, then I may start to lighten up the tone. I just have that sneaky feeling that Mike Ashley isn’t finished messing with Newcastle just yet.

It’s official. Newcastle United have accepted a bid from Liverpool for Andy Carroll with the fee believed to be about £35 million with add-ons. This is devastating news for Newcastle fans, just after the Newcastle number 9 confessed his love for the club and that he wanted to stay.

The events leading up to the transfer are shrouded in mystery though. Newcastle first rejected a £30 million bid, then a £35 million bid, and then ‘reluctantly’ accepted a transfer request from Andy Carroll. The mystery is what prompted Carroll to submit a transfer request. Was his hand forced by Mike Ashley? Is loyalty dead in football and Andy had his head turned by a more lucrative offer? We may never know. But the fact of the matter is, Andy Carroll will become a Liverpool football player and Newcastle United (or Mike Ashley) will be a lot wealthier.

What do you make of the Andy Carroll transfer to Liverpool? Are you devastated, or do you think it’s a good bit of business by NUFC?

I will leave you with this tweet from Mirror Journalist Simon Bird.

When you have players who are playing well, and who make up the core nucleus of a team, the last thing you would do is sell them, right? But guess what? This is Newcastle United and apparently anything and everything out of the ordinary is capable of happening.

According to this article on Sky, the St James’s Park heirarchy (aka Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias), are prepared to let Mr. Joseph Barton leave the club on a cut-price £1.5m transfer in the January transfer window – West Ham and Villa are said to be monitoring the situation carefully.

Barton has been the creative spark we’ve needed this season, and has shown through his performances on the field that he is a fine footballer and that the plight of this club matters to him. Letting him go at all would be bad for the club, but a poultry £1.5m? That’s just outrageous. If the club want to sell players to raise money for funds, and cut the wage bill, why not sell the following players?

• James Perch
• Xisco
• Alan Smith
• Leon Best

Selling one of our most capable players just shows the arrogance of Mike Ashley. When Nolan, Barton, and Carroll have played, we’ve won more than we’ve lost. To take Barton out of that mix would be nigh-on admitting that you want the club to fail. Even Barton haters have admitted that he’s settled down this year and has played some decent football. But come on, just what has Alan Smith (40k p/week), Xisco (40k p/week) contributed to Newcastle United this season? And they’re going to be staying? (By the way, those weekly estimates are conservative – I reckon both Smith and Xisco to be on closer to 50k p/week)

If true, this is just one more reason why both Mike and Derek need to leave out club before it turns into even more of a farce.

Howay the Toon

Colin Young at the Mail Online wrote an intriguing piece regarding the future of Newcastle United. In it, Young claims that investors in Qatar are considering a buy out of Newcastle to continue to expand their reach into global football (what, the World Cup wasn’t enough?). A week ago Barcelona agreed to a £125 million sponsorship deal with the Qatar Foundation. Apparently, that Qatari Foundation have singled out Newcastle United as prime contenders as a club worth investing in.

Officially the club is off the market, but would Mike Ashley now accept a bid of at least £200 million? It would be interesting to see. The club’s emergence as a Premier League club, and victories over some big hitters, including last weekend’s win over the Scousers, has brought us additional attention. Would Mike Ashley now ask for more than £200 million because of our status, or would he take someone’s arm off at a chance to get himself out of Tyneside?

Let’s not forget though that Alan Pardew is on a five-and-a-half year contract at NUFC, and most likely, any potential new owners would want to bring in their own manager sooner rather than later. The last thing this football club needs though is more upheaval, especially after the week we’ve just had.

I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I want the current owners out, and I would love dearly if Mike Ashley slung his hook. Imagine, being taken over by wealthy Middle Eastern businessmen where money was no object. We can but hope.

Alan Pardew, the man who was sacked by League One side Southampton for being mediocre, has been named the new manager of Newcastle United. Pardew has agreed to a five and a half year contract, which is currently one of the largest managerial contracts in European football.

I think a lot of Newcastle fans would have reacted differently to the news if Chris Hughton was replaced by someone who had experience, someone who had won leagues or cups, and who’s teams had been successful. But no, Alan Pardew got the Newcastle job because of his social relationship with Derek Llambias and Mike Ashley.

Make no mistake about it, Pardew will have no grace period, no honeymoon, nor the respect of the players. The man is on a hiding to nothing, and in our eyes, deserves every bit of hiding that he receives. To those fans saying we should back Pardew, I couldn’t disagree more. Pardew has knowingly negotiated a contracted while Chris Hughton was still Newcastle United manager. Pardew is just as much to blame as Mike Ashley and his cronies.

This now begins our boycott of all things Newcastle United. No merchandise, no shirts, no season tickets, nothing – until Mike Ashley, Derek Llambias and Alan Pardew are well clear of St. James’s Park.

Newcastle United have confirmed that there will be a news conference to announce the successor to Chris Hughton on Thursday lunchtime. Unfortunately, it looks like none of the fans favourites will be appointed, with Martin Jol ruling himself out, and Martin O’Neill’s name quickly disappearing from the list of potential candidates.

Alan Pardew, the man who was sacked by a League One club, is now the odds-on favourite to be become the next Newcastle United manager. If this man couldn’t hack it at Southampton, what in the world can he offer a Premier League club?

Protest Latest:

Rumours of protest are gathering pace for the weekend’s game against Liverpool at St. James’s Park. I have two views on this. The first being that we must support the eleven Newcastle United players on the field, they liked Chris Hughton just as much as we did if not more so. The second being that you pay your money for your season ticket, you have a right to do what you like. Walk out, chant Chris Hughton’s name, support the lads, turn away from the field, whatever – but take action. Don’t complain about Mike Ashley later on when you have a chance to become part of something which will be broadcast live across the world.

NUFC Manager Rumours – Update 1:

The latest news doing the rounds is that Jurgen Klinsmann will be named as boss with Pardew in as his number 2. While Pardew’s name is enough to cause anxiety amongst any Newcastle United fan, the name of Jurgen Klinsmann is definitely enough to make you stand up and take notice. Somehow, I doubt this one is true, but would loved to be proved wrong.

As if yesterday wasn’t enough, we all woke up today with the realization that the new manager of Newcastle United Football Club could be very average indeed. The front runners so far are Alan Curbishley, Alan Pardew, Martin Jol, and Martin O’Niell. I don’t think anyone can argue that the two latter names would be a decent punt, but knowing Mike Ashley, he’s likely to go for one of the two former names.

With the rumours surrounding Pardew in particular, and his willingness to be a ‘yes man’ to the ever meddling Mike Ashley, you have to wonder whether Pardew would be in his right mind to take the reigns from Chris Hughton. Surely he knows that he won’t be welcomed? It’s plain to see from Twitter, blogs, and Facebook that the appointment of Alan Pardew would absolutely infuriate the fans, and rightly so. Why replace a man who has guided the team successfully from the Championship to Premier League mid-table security, with a man who was sacked by a League One Club for mediocrity? If he couldn’t cut it in League One, he’s hardly going to set the world alight in the Premier League.

I’m sorry Mike Ashley, but unless you want an all out revolt, there are only two choices from the names mentioned – Martin Jol or Martin O’Neill. If it’s Pardew or Curbishley, then God help us all.

Newcastle United have sensationally sacked manager Chris Hughton with immediate effect. Goalkeeping Coach Paul Barron also leaves the club. A statement from the official club website reads as follows:

Newcastle United Football Club have today parted company with manager Chris Hughton. Goalkeeping coach Paul Barron also leaves the club today.

The board would like to place on record their thanks to Chris for his considerable efforts during the club’s transition from Championship to Premier League football. Chris has shown exceptional character and commitment since being appointed manager in October 2009. The club wishes him well for the future.

Regrettably the board now feels that an individual with more managerial experience is needed to take the club forward.

The task of appointing a new manager now begins. An announcement will be made shortly regarding transitional arrangements pending the appointment of a successor.

Once again, Mike Ashley has proven that he and his board have no class, foresight or loyalty. The sacking of Hughton is in my opinion, premature to say the least. Yes, NUFC are in a blip, and struggling for form, but all teams go through a dip during the season.

If we’re being honest though, we have to say the writing was on the wall for Hughton. Calderwood leaving, no assistant being appointed, no guaranteed funds for the transfer window all add up to a man on borrowed time.

Hughton had the support of both the Newcastle United players and fans – I don’t know one fan who’s of the opinion that this sacking was a good decision.

Chris Hughton has done a remarkable job as Newcastle manager – this blog would like to thank him for the hard work he’s done and putting some respectability and belief back on Tyneside.

Who Replaces Hughton?

The favourites are:

• Alan Pardew
• Alan Curbishley
• Martin O’Neill

Update 1:

The BBC are reporting that Martin O’Neill is close to agreeing a deal at NUFC.

Update 2:

Martin Jol has handed in his resignation at Ajax.