I repeat, I assume that all those on their high horse about the Newcastle takeover will never use any of the following companies again:
BT
EE
TicketMasters
Carnival
Disney
Facebook
BP
Boeing
Shell
Total
Citigroup
to name just a few. All that PIF has stakes in.
I don't consider many of those businesses to be reputable indeed. PIF may have small stakes in some of those too but not ownership, there's a difference between investment and ownership.
And there's no reason why you can't condemn the Saudis while happily supporting your team. You can distinguish between your club and Mike Ashley afterall can't you? Do you feel an overwhelming urge to defend Mike Ashley and to lavishly praise him and brush off any criticism? The Saudis are no better than Mike Ashley, they're worse than him.
Love your club I respect that 100%, but there's no need to love either Ashley or the Saudis.
I don’t love the Saudis. Far from it, but I have zero influence on the sale. I would much prefer that we had a German system where fan ownership accounted for 51% of every club but unfortunately that is not the case.
People are just jealous that Newcastle is finally getting the investment it deserves.
I couldn't care less that Newcastle is getting the investment. I'd be happy for Newcastle to get the investment - you're not a rival. If someone wanted to write a blank cheque for Manchester United that might exercise me but for any other squad? I genuinely don't mind.
I despise the Saudis though. Always have done. Doesn't change because they're proposing to invest in the Geordies. You're neither here nor there in my thinking frankly, this is all about my loathing of the despicable, despotic, frankly evil Saudi regime.
So what though? What difference does it make?
I support Newcastle United. I don’t have a choice. The club is the club. The politics of the investment bank who owns an 80% stake in the club has nothing to do with me.
I’m just interested in a few hours of escapism on a Saturday afternoon. Something to cheer about in the depressing reality that is life.
I'd stop supporting Spurs if they got taken over by the Saudis or someother such regime linked to thousands of dead women and children. The board almost pushed me to the brink when they decided to take the furlough cash to pay non-playing staff but maintaining players on full wages.
I actually thought taking furlough cash was fair enough since the Premier League clubs pay billions in taxes (unlike some industries that dodge taxes) so why shouldn't they get some they're legally entitled to back . . . but I was in a very, very tiny minority in thinking that and as a whole Liverpool fans very vocally and quickly aired their anger when Liverpool said they were doing that.
The idea Liverpool fans will shut up and have nothing to say if they think their owners are in the wrong? That didn't even happen this year with the high regard FSG are held in even this year of all years after all the trophies and on the brink of the first title in 30 years the fans stood up to the owners and got them to swiftly change their decision.
I repeat, I assume that all those on their high horse about the Newcastle takeover will never use any of the following companies again:
BT
EE
TicketMasters
Carnival
Disney
Facebook
BP
Boeing
Shell
Total
Citigroup
to name just a few. All that PIF has stakes in.
I don't consider many of those businesses to be reputable indeed. PIF may have small stakes in some of those too but not ownership, there's a difference between investment and ownership.
And there's no reason why you can't condemn the Saudis while happily supporting your team. You can distinguish between your club and Mike Ashley afterall can't you? Do you feel an overwhelming urge to defend Mike Ashley and to lavishly praise him and brush off any criticism? The Saudis are no better than Mike Ashley, they're worse than him.
Love your club I respect that 100%, but there's no need to love either Ashley or the Saudis.
I don’t love the Saudis. Far from it, but I have zero influence on the sale. I would much prefer that we had a German system where fan ownership accounted for 51% of every club but unfortunately that is not the case.
People are just jealous that Newcastle is finally getting the investment it deserves.
I couldn't care less that Newcastle is getting the investment. I'd be happy for Newcastle to get the investment - you're not a rival. If someone wanted to write a blank cheque for Manchester United that might exercise me but for any other squad? I genuinely don't mind.
I despise the Saudis though. Always have done. Doesn't change because they're proposing to invest in the Geordies. You're neither here nor there in my thinking frankly, this is all about my loathing of the despicable, despotic, frankly evil Saudi regime.
So what though? What difference does it make?
I support Newcastle United. I don’t have a choice. The club is the club. The politics of the investment bank who owns an 80% stake in the club has nothing to do with me.
I’m just interested in a few hours of escapism on a Saturday afternoon. Something to cheer about in the depressing reality that is life.
That's fair enough then say that. Support your club, wear the T-shirt, go to the grounds, cheer a goal.
Don't dismiss the Khasogghi murder. Don't become an apologist for the Saudi regime.
Any more than you'd be an apologist for Ashley. Divorce the two in your head. Say I support my club not its owners and move on.
I'd stop supporting Spurs if they got taken over by the Saudis or someother such regime linked to thousands of dead women and children. The board almost pushed me to the brink when they decided to take the furlough cash to pay non-playing staff but maintaining players on full wages.
I actually thought taking furlough cash was fair enough since the Premier League clubs pay billions in taxes (unlike some industries that dodge taxes) so why shouldn't they get some they're legally entitled to back . . . but I was in a very, very tiny minority in thinking that and as a whole Liverpool fans very vocally and quickly aired their anger when Liverpool said they were doing that.
The idea Liverpool fans will shut up and have nothing to say if they think their owners are in the wrong? That didn't even happen this year with the high regard FSG are held in even this year of all years after all the trophies and on the brink of the first title in 30 years the fans stood up to the owners and got them to swiftly change their decision.
I remember reading that the reason the Saudis walked away from Spurs was that the fans wouldn't accept the new owners, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if they walked away from a potential Liverpool deal for the same reason. I'm honestly surprised that Newcastle fans seem so unbothered about being owned by the same regime that's actively killing people.
Given the lack of light at the end of the covid economic misery tunnel, can anyone explain why the stock markets are trundling along happily at only 10-15% off their peaks?
Oh that's easy: recession means lower interest rates for longer, which means the rich can continue to play the carry trade game, which means higher equity prices.
A 10% fall in GDP is technically a "Depression", not a Recession. The UK's GDP is expected to contract by about 10% in 2020
If my worst fears of a systemic crash, starting in a seized-up London but rippling out, come to fruition, then we could see a GDP fall nearer 20%. Or more
Completely unprecedented. Probably the biggest fall since the English Civil War
That was during May though. It wasn't expected to bounce back then, was it?
Economists expected a 5.5% lift in GDP, we got 1.8%
I fear my pessimism is justified; everyone should pray I am wrong
It was always going to be horrendous. Clearly some horrendous outcomes are worse than others, but I'm not sure the difference between them will be all that apparent.
That's like saying all wars are bad, so there's no point in distinguishing between them.
The Falklands War was bad. The First World War was a total apocalypse.
A 5% fall in UK GDP is a really grisly recession, but we'd get through. A 20% fall in GDP in one year (with more pain to come?) is unprecedented. No one alive has ever experienced such a catastrophe. Who knows what it might do to us, how it could change us
Trying to be positive, a 20% GDP reduction would take us back to GDP levels we had in 2003. Life was ok for most in 2003.
Not so terrible, looked at that way
Andy Haldane gave a speech on this recently, early signs are V shaped recovery.
Now I don't doubt Boris and Rishi can cock it up, but the key numbers to watch are still COVID cases.
We WILL have another lockdown if this gets out of control again. That's the danger.
Except the newest data does NOT suggest a V-shaped recovery.
It's going to be L. You read it here first
Much to early to say. May was a lockdown month indistinguishable from April. It’s hardly surprising that output didn’t change. It will be September when we get the August figures that we will have a clear idea.
Too early to say for sure, but the initial data, and anecdata, are not good.
It is clear that large sectors of the economy - travel/leisure/entertainment/transport - are taking the most enormous hit. Much worse than anticipated.
I have just watched yet another entirely empty London bus pass my window. Fifth in a row.
No one is moving in London. According to reports, the Treasury has been horrified at the scale of the seize-up.
Feels L-shaped to me.
Well until very recently we have had all sorts of random rules stopping businesses from trading. In Scotland we still have them although there is some relaxation tomorrow. And we have combined the reopening with lots of rules about masks that scare people. It’s not helpful.
I am really really trying hard to find positives. Reasons to be cheerful. But I just can't see ANY. It's the bleakest prospect for the country, if not the world, that I have known in my lifetime.
And if anything I expect this crisis to surprise on the downside, even now.
I guess it might be good for the badgers, or something.
I repeat, I assume that all those on their high horse about the Newcastle takeover will never use any of the following companies again:
BT
EE
TicketMasters
Carnival
Disney
Facebook
BP
Boeing
Shell
Total
Citigroup
to name just a few. All that PIF has stakes in.
I don't consider many of those businesses to be reputable indeed. PIF may have small stakes in some of those too but not ownership, there's a difference between investment and ownership.
And there's no reason why you can't condemn the Saudis while happily supporting your team. You can distinguish between your club and Mike Ashley afterall can't you? Do you feel an overwhelming urge to defend Mike Ashley and to lavishly praise him and brush off any criticism? The Saudis are no better than Mike Ashley, they're worse than him.
Love your club I respect that 100%, but there's no need to love either Ashley or the Saudis.
I don’t love the Saudis. Far from it, but I have zero influence on the sale. I would much prefer that we had a German system where fan ownership accounted for 51% of every club but unfortunately that is not the case.
People are just jealous that Newcastle is finally getting the investment it deserves.
I couldn't care less that Newcastle is getting the investment. I'd be happy for Newcastle to get the investment - you're not a rival. If someone wanted to write a blank cheque for Manchester United that might exercise me but for any other squad? I genuinely don't mind.
I despise the Saudis though. Always have done. Doesn't change because they're proposing to invest in the Geordies. You're neither here nor there in my thinking frankly, this is all about my loathing of the despicable, despotic, frankly evil Saudi regime.
So what though? What difference does it make?
I support Newcastle United. I don’t have a choice. The club is the club. The politics of the investment bank who owns an 80% stake in the club has nothing to do with me.
I’m just interested in a few hours of escapism on a Saturday afternoon. Something to cheer about in the depressing reality that is life.
That's fair enough then say that. Support your club, wear the T-shirt, go to the grounds, cheer a goal.
Don't dismiss the Khasogghi murder. Don't become an apologist for the Saudi regime.
Any more than you'd be an apologist for Ashley. Divorce the two in your head. Say I support my club not its owners and move on.
I did not apologise for anything, nor dismiss anything.
I merely highlighted the hypocrisy of people getting their knickers in a twist over the Newcastle takeover whilst not giving two shits about PIF’s other investments.
I repeat, I assume that all those on their high horse about the Newcastle takeover will never use any of the following companies again:
BT
EE
TicketMasters
Carnival
Disney
Facebook
BP
Boeing
Shell
Total
Citigroup
to name just a few. All that PIF has stakes in.
I don't consider many of those businesses to be reputable indeed. PIF may have small stakes in some of those too but not ownership, there's a difference between investment and ownership.
And there's no reason why you can't condemn the Saudis while happily supporting your team. You can distinguish between your club and Mike Ashley afterall can't you? Do you feel an overwhelming urge to defend Mike Ashley and to lavishly praise him and brush off any criticism? The Saudis are no better than Mike Ashley, they're worse than him.
Love your club I respect that 100%, but there's no need to love either Ashley or the Saudis.
I don’t love the Saudis. Far from it, but I have zero influence on the sale. I would much prefer that we had a German system where fan ownership accounted for 51% of every club but unfortunately that is not the case.
People are just jealous that Newcastle is finally getting the investment it deserves.
I couldn't care less that Newcastle is getting the investment. I'd be happy for Newcastle to get the investment - you're not a rival. If someone wanted to write a blank cheque for Manchester United that might exercise me but for any other squad? I genuinely don't mind.
I despise the Saudis though. Always have done. Doesn't change because they're proposing to invest in the Geordies. You're neither here nor there in my thinking frankly, this is all about my loathing of the despicable, despotic, frankly evil Saudi regime.
So what though? What difference does it make?
I support Newcastle United. I don’t have a choice. The club is the club. The politics of the investment bank who owns an 80% stake in the club has nothing to do with me.
I’m just interested in a few hours of escapism on a Saturday afternoon. Something to cheer about in the depressing reality that is life.
Don't be in denial over where that money comes from. Don't dance on the head of a pin about it being from some investment fund rather than the state. Accept that it's blood money.
Given the lack of light at the end of the covid economic misery tunnel, can anyone explain why the stock markets are trundling along happily at only 10-15% off their peaks?
Oh that's easy: recession means lower interest rates for longer, which means the rich can continue to play the carry trade game, which means higher equity prices.
A 10% fall in GDP is technically a "Depression", not a Recession. The UK's GDP is expected to contract by about 10% in 2020
If my worst fears of a systemic crash, starting in a seized-up London but rippling out, come to fruition, then we could see a GDP fall nearer 20%. Or more
Completely unprecedented. Probably the biggest fall since the English Civil War
That was during May though. It wasn't expected to bounce back then, was it?
Economists expected a 5.5% lift in GDP, we got 1.8%
I fear my pessimism is justified; everyone should pray I am wrong
It was always going to be horrendous. Clearly some horrendous outcomes are worse than others, but I'm not sure the difference between them will be all that apparent.
That's like saying all wars are bad, so there's no point in distinguishing between them.
The Falklands War was bad. The First World War was a total apocalypse.
A 5% fall in UK GDP is a really grisly recession, but we'd get through. A 20% fall in GDP in one year (with more pain to come?) is unprecedented. No one alive has ever experienced such a catastrophe. Who knows what it might do to us, how it could change us
Trying to be positive, a 20% GDP reduction would take us back to GDP levels we had in 2003. Life was ok for most in 2003.
Not so terrible, looked at that way
Andy Haldane gave a speech on this recently, early signs are V shaped recovery.
Now I don't doubt Boris and Rishi can cock it up, but the key numbers to watch are still COVID cases.
We WILL have another lockdown if this gets out of control again. That's the danger.
Except the newest data does NOT suggest a V-shaped recovery.
It's going to be L. You read it here first
Much to early to say. May was a lockdown month indistinguishable from April. It’s hardly surprising that output didn’t change. It will be September when we get the August figures that we will have a clear idea.
Too early to say for sure, but the initial data, and anecdata, are not good.
It is clear that large sectors of the economy - travel/leisure/entertainment/transport - are taking the most enormous hit. Much worse than anticipated.
I have just watched yet another entirely empty London bus pass my window. Fifth in a row.
No one is moving in London. According to reports, the Treasury has been horrified at the scale of the seize-up.
Feels L-shaped to me.
Well until very recently we have had all sorts of random rules stopping businesses from trading. In Scotland we still have them although there is some relaxation tomorrow. And we have combined the reopening with lots of rules about masks that scare people. It’s not helpful.
I am really really trying hard to find positives. Reasons to be cheerful. But I just can't see ANY. It's the bleakest prospect for the country, if not the world, that I have known in my lifetime.
And if anything I expect this crisis to surprise on the downside, even now.
I guess it might be good for the badgers, or something.
There are always opportunities after disasters. That’s what’s keeping me going.
I'd stop supporting Spurs if they got taken over by the Saudis or someother such regime linked to thousands of dead women and children. The board almost pushed me to the brink when they decided to take the furlough cash to pay non-playing staff but maintaining players on full wages.
I actually thought taking furlough cash was fair enough since the Premier League clubs pay billions in taxes (unlike some industries that dodge taxes) so why shouldn't they get some they're legally entitled to back . . . but I was in a very, very tiny minority in thinking that and as a whole Liverpool fans very vocally and quickly aired their anger when Liverpool said they were doing that.
The idea Liverpool fans will shut up and have nothing to say if they think their owners are in the wrong? That didn't even happen this year with the high regard FSG are held in even this year of all years after all the trophies and on the brink of the first title in 30 years the fans stood up to the owners and got them to swiftly change their decision.
I remember reading that the reason the Saudis walked away from Spurs was that the fans wouldn't accept the new owners, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if they walked away from a potential Liverpool deal for the same reason. I'm honestly surprised that Newcastle fans seem so unbothered about being owned by the same regime that's actively killing people.
Indeed. I knew the Geordie fans hated Mike Ashley (and for good reason) but I thought it was like us hating Hicks and Gilette or the Utd fans hating the Glasers . . . not that they would stoop to being unbothered by this.
I repeat, I assume that all those on their high horse about the Newcastle takeover will never use any of the following companies again:
BT
EE
TicketMasters
Carnival
Disney
Facebook
BP
Boeing
Shell
Total
Citigroup
to name just a few. All that PIF has stakes in.
I don't consider many of those businesses to be reputable indeed. PIF may have small stakes in some of those too but not ownership, there's a difference between investment and ownership.
And there's no reason why you can't condemn the Saudis while happily supporting your team. You can distinguish between your club and Mike Ashley afterall can't you? Do you feel an overwhelming urge to defend Mike Ashley and to lavishly praise him and brush off any criticism? The Saudis are no better than Mike Ashley, they're worse than him.
Love your club I respect that 100%, but there's no need to love either Ashley or the Saudis.
I don’t love the Saudis. Far from it, but I have zero influence on the sale. I would much prefer that we had a German system where fan ownership accounted for 51% of every club but unfortunately that is not the case.
People are just jealous that Newcastle is finally getting the investment it deserves.
I couldn't care less that Newcastle is getting the investment. I'd be happy for Newcastle to get the investment - you're not a rival. If someone wanted to write a blank cheque for Manchester United that might exercise me but for any other squad? I genuinely don't mind.
I despise the Saudis though. Always have done. Doesn't change because they're proposing to invest in the Geordies. You're neither here nor there in my thinking frankly, this is all about my loathing of the despicable, despotic, frankly evil Saudi regime.
So what though? What difference does it make?
I support Newcastle United. I don’t have a choice. The club is the club. The politics of the investment bank who owns an 80% stake in the club has nothing to do with me.
I’m just interested in a few hours of escapism on a Saturday afternoon. Something to cheer about in the depressing reality that is life.
That's fair enough then say that. Support your club, wear the T-shirt, go to the grounds, cheer a goal.
Don't dismiss the Khasogghi murder. Don't become an apologist for the Saudi regime.
Any more than you'd be an apologist for Ashley. Divorce the two in your head. Say I support my club not its owners and move on.
I did not apologise for anything, nor dismiss anything.
I merely highlighted the hypocrisy of people getting their knickers in a twist over the Newcastle takeover whilst not giving two shits about PIF’s other investments.
So your "Allegedly" remark about the Khasogghi murder . . . come on . . .
Given the lack of light at the end of the covid economic misery tunnel, can anyone explain why the stock markets are trundling along happily at only 10-15% off their peaks?
Oh that's easy: recession means lower interest rates for longer, which means the rich can continue to play the carry trade game, which means higher equity prices.
A 10% fall in GDP is technically a "Depression", not a Recession. The UK's GDP is expected to contract by about 10% in 2020
If my worst fears of a systemic crash, starting in a seized-up London but rippling out, come to fruition, then we could see a GDP fall nearer 20%. Or more
Completely unprecedented. Probably the biggest fall since the English Civil War
That was during May though. It wasn't expected to bounce back then, was it?
Economists expected a 5.5% lift in GDP, we got 1.8%
I fear my pessimism is justified; everyone should pray I am wrong
It was always going to be horrendous. Clearly some horrendous outcomes are worse than others, but I'm not sure the difference between them will be all that apparent.
That's like saying all wars are bad, so there's no point in distinguishing between them.
The Falklands War was bad. The First World War was a total apocalypse.
A 5% fall in UK GDP is a really grisly recession, but we'd get through. A 20% fall in GDP in one year (with more pain to come?) is unprecedented. No one alive has ever experienced such a catastrophe. Who knows what it might do to us, how it could change us
Trying to be positive, a 20% GDP reduction would take us back to GDP levels we had in 2003. Life was ok for most in 2003.
Not so terrible, looked at that way
Andy Haldane gave a speech on this recently, early signs are V shaped recovery.
Now I don't doubt Boris and Rishi can cock it up, but the key numbers to watch are still COVID cases.
We WILL have another lockdown if this gets out of control again. That's the danger.
Except the newest data does NOT suggest a V-shaped recovery.
It's going to be L. You read it here first
Much to early to say. May was a lockdown month indistinguishable from April. It’s hardly surprising that output didn’t change. It will be September when we get the August figures that we will have a clear idea.
Too early to say for sure, but the initial data, and anecdata, are not good.
It is clear that large sectors of the economy - travel/leisure/entertainment/transport - are taking the most enormous hit. Much worse than anticipated.
I have just watched yet another entirely empty London bus pass my window. Fifth in a row.
No one is moving in London. According to reports, the Treasury has been horrified at the scale of the seize-up.
Feels L-shaped to me.
Well until very recently we have had all sorts of random rules stopping businesses from trading. In Scotland we still have them although there is some relaxation tomorrow. And we have combined the reopening with lots of rules about masks that scare people. It’s not helpful.
I am really really trying hard to find positives. Reasons to be cheerful. But I just can't see ANY. It's the bleakest prospect for the country, if not the world, that I have known in my lifetime.
And if anything I expect this crisis to surprise on the downside, even now.
I guess it might be good for the badgers, or something.
There are always opportunities after disasters. That’s what’s keeping me going.
Rosebay willowherb. Remember the name. Rosebay willowherb.
It is a beautiful wild flower that sprouted, unexpectedly, in bomb sites, after the Blitz
I repeat, I assume that all those on their high horse about the Newcastle takeover will never use any of the following companies again:
BT
EE
TicketMasters
Carnival
Disney
Facebook
BP
Boeing
Shell
Total
Citigroup
to name just a few. All that PIF has stakes in.
I don't consider many of those businesses to be reputable indeed. PIF may have small stakes in some of those too but not ownership, there's a difference between investment and ownership.
And there's no reason why you can't condemn the Saudis while happily supporting your team. You can distinguish between your club and Mike Ashley afterall can't you? Do you feel an overwhelming urge to defend Mike Ashley and to lavishly praise him and brush off any criticism? The Saudis are no better than Mike Ashley, they're worse than him.
Love your club I respect that 100%, but there's no need to love either Ashley or the Saudis.
I don’t love the Saudis. Far from it, but I have zero influence on the sale. I would much prefer that we had a German system where fan ownership accounted for 51% of every club but unfortunately that is not the case.
People are just jealous that Newcastle is finally getting the investment it deserves.
I couldn't care less that Newcastle is getting the investment. I'd be happy for Newcastle to get the investment - you're not a rival. If someone wanted to write a blank cheque for Manchester United that might exercise me but for any other squad? I genuinely don't mind.
I despise the Saudis though. Always have done. Doesn't change because they're proposing to invest in the Geordies. You're neither here nor there in my thinking frankly, this is all about my loathing of the despicable, despotic, frankly evil Saudi regime.
So what though? What difference does it make?
I support Newcastle United. I don’t have a choice. The club is the club. The politics of the investment bank who owns an 80% stake in the club has nothing to do with me.
I’m just interested in a few hours of escapism on a Saturday afternoon. Something to cheer about in the depressing reality that is life.
That's fair enough then say that. Support your club, wear the T-shirt, go to the grounds, cheer a goal.
Don't dismiss the Khasogghi murder. Don't become an apologist for the Saudi regime.
Any more than you'd be an apologist for Ashley. Divorce the two in your head. Say I support my club not its owners and move on.
I did not apologise for anything, nor dismiss anything.
I merely highlighted the hypocrisy of people getting their knickers in a twist over the Newcastle takeover whilst not giving two shits about PIF’s other investments.
So your "Allegedly" remark about the Khasogghi murder . . . come on . . .
I don’t know anything about the Khasogghi murder and I bet neither does anyone else on here, so what do you want from me?
I repeat that Newcastle fans can not be expected to weigh up international geopolitics when deciding if they can be happy or not that MA is finally going.
Because I'm not using the Underground, in effect I've got a £4000 pay rise
Until you get fired, because WFH collapses the economies of big cities, leading to an enormous Depression everywhere
People will lose their jobs in cafes in London, people will gain jobs in cafes in gateshead......seems fine trade off to me and those people struggling to work on a waiters wage in london can move to somewhere cheaper to live. The only ones who really lose out are the rich london dwellers who now have less places to get coffee from the underwaged.....I don't see many crying for your loss on the whole
Have you ever been to Gateshead? Gateshead is basically Newcastle City Centre.
Gateshead's got bigger problems if the Metro centre goes under.
Someone will buy the Metrocentre I think. It’s always busy, and probably a good investment for the right price.
One would hope so. However, "always busy" is perhaps a tad premature.
I wonder if there is any writing on the wall for these big frothy shopping centres?
When I ran the numbers a few months ago it was a surprise to find that my local Macarthur Glen turns over considerably more per sqft than Meadowhall.
Yes. It's not so much the footfall as whether they can survive with lots of vacant units.
Thursday is my son’s 17th birthday and we are booked into a steakhouse in Edinburgh. Not the full menu, limit of 6 to a table, no doubt lots of social distancing and hygiene measures making it feel more like a visit to a Petri dish than a night out at a restaurant but I am still really looking forward to it. It will be great to be out again.
I repeat, I assume that all those on their high horse about the Newcastle takeover will never use any of the following companies again:
BT
EE
TicketMasters
Carnival
Disney
Facebook
BP
Boeing
Shell
Total
Citigroup
to name just a few. All that PIF has stakes in.
I don't consider many of those businesses to be reputable indeed. PIF may have small stakes in some of those too but not ownership, there's a difference between investment and ownership.
And there's no reason why you can't condemn the Saudis while happily supporting your team. You can distinguish between your club and Mike Ashley afterall can't you? Do you feel an overwhelming urge to defend Mike Ashley and to lavishly praise him and brush off any criticism? The Saudis are no better than Mike Ashley, they're worse than him.
Love your club I respect that 100%, but there's no need to love either Ashley or the Saudis.
I don’t love the Saudis. Far from it, but I have zero influence on the sale. I would much prefer that we had a German system where fan ownership accounted for 51% of every club but unfortunately that is not the case.
People are just jealous that Newcastle is finally getting the investment it deserves.
I couldn't care less that Newcastle is getting the investment. I'd be happy for Newcastle to get the investment - you're not a rival. If someone wanted to write a blank cheque for Manchester United that might exercise me but for any other squad? I genuinely don't mind.
I despise the Saudis though. Always have done. Doesn't change because they're proposing to invest in the Geordies. You're neither here nor there in my thinking frankly, this is all about my loathing of the despicable, despotic, frankly evil Saudi regime.
Are the Emiraties any better? They are bombing Yemen too aren't they?
It really is an indictment of the crass incompetence of the government's messaging that the moderate and completely sensible (albeit a bit tardy) decision to mandate masks in shops has become a political controversy, for no good reason whatsoever. It's an object lesson in how to screw up something simple.
it
I did say when the lockdown ends, if I am forced back to the office then no socialising for me as there hasnt been for the last 10 years. Complaints from people like you about what lockdown has cost like going to restaurants and bars are frankly laughable.....Most of the country can't actually afford to before lockdown except infrequently in any case.....instead we slog to work at 6am eat at our desks return home around 8pm and hope the money lasts till the end of the month. For a treat we may order a takeaway once maybe twice a month or buy some cheap beer at a supermarket. Locked in due to lack of money is normal life. The only real difference lockdown has made for me is I dont have to get up early and come home late and don't have to deal with obnoxious people I can't stand at the office
Point taken.
I still fear for the wider economy, and all of us, if the leisure/entertainment industry collapses
shrugs it is my pet hate on here. Most that post here aren't struggling, they either are high up in the hierarchy of companies or run companies themselves. Few are struggling at the end of the month or dreading the unexpected bill like a car repair or boiler repair. They see things through their bubble. I try and puncture it occasionally
I am not struggling - but I have plenty of friends and relatives that are in desperate trouble already. Hence, perhaps, my concern
I had many friends and relatives like that pre brexit and pre corona no one gave a toss about them then.
I'm talking about people having mental breakdowns because of lockdown, or actually dying from covid-19
There are many people who have lived the last 20 years in what you describe as lockdown all they have is home and work because they cant afford anything else. They managed if people are really killing themselves over three months of lockdown which tbh I doubt then they must be quite weak minded
You really do not know what you are talking about in writing that last sentence.
It shouldn't happen. The Saudis are not fit and proper anything.
May as well call the FBI off and get Ghislaine Maxwell declared fit and proper to take over.
Is a Liverpool fan concerned they may have some more competition in a few years? Diddums.
From Newcastle? 😲
Its good to laugh every once in a while, no the thought never even crossed my mind!
Newcastle United with billions of pounds of Saudi investment, sure.
I thought you were a big believer in the free-market anyway. Why shouldn’t the PIF be able to invest in Newcastle United Ltd?
I am a big believer in the free market.
The Saudis are an authoritarian dictatorship and do not represent the free market.
A vast majority of owners of Premier League clubs are dodgy AF.
I don’t care. Bring on the sorely-needed investment.
It's blood money. Your attitude is extremely disappointing.
and if Liverpool or Man United ever get bought out by the Chinese or the Saudis you won't hear peep of protest from the fans.
Yeah because Liverpool fans totally loved Hicks and Gilette.
While the United fans have totally adored the Glasers.
No hint of a criticism from the fans for either of them. 🙄
Our clubs are bigger than our owners.
The only criticism of the Glazers is that they are keeping the profits and not spending it on players, ditto Hicks and Gillette. Chinese takeover, the fans might wear a yellow and green scarf for a couple of weeks and that will be about it.
Because I'm not using the Underground, in effect I've got a £4000 pay rise
Until you get fired, because WFH collapses the economies of big cities, leading to an enormous Depression everywhere
People will lose their jobs in cafes in London, people will gain jobs in cafes in gateshead......seems fine trade off to me and those people struggling to work on a waiters wage in london can move to somewhere cheaper to live. The only ones who really lose out are the rich london dwellers who now have less places to get coffee from the underwaged.....I don't see many crying for your loss on the whole
Have you ever been to Gateshead? Gateshead is basically Newcastle City Centre.
you mistake me for some one that cares....gateshead was purely an example any run down area that has been hollowed out by the drain of people to the southeast would do
Well you clearly haven’t got a clue what you’re talking about.
and clearly you are someone that doesn't care as long as your cushy life gets serviced by serfs....my what a leftie you are
Comments
I support Newcastle United. I don’t have a choice. The club is the club. The politics of the investment bank who owns an 80% stake in the club has nothing to do with me.
I’m just interested in a few hours of escapism on a Saturday afternoon. Something to cheer about in the depressing reality that is life.
The idea Liverpool fans will shut up and have nothing to say if they think their owners are in the wrong? That didn't even happen this year with the high regard FSG are held in even this year of all years after all the trophies and on the brink of the first title in 30 years the fans stood up to the owners and got them to swiftly change their decision.
Don't dismiss the Khasogghi murder. Don't become an apologist for the Saudi regime.
Any more than you'd be an apologist for Ashley. Divorce the two in your head. Say I support my club not its owners and move on.
And if anything I expect this crisis to surprise on the downside, even now.
I guess it might be good for the badgers, or something.
https://twitter.com/JoeNBC/status/1283136690715070464
I merely highlighted the hypocrisy of people getting their knickers in a twist over the Newcastle takeover whilst not giving two shits about PIF’s other investments.
NEW THREAD
It is a beautiful wild flower that sprouted, unexpectedly, in bomb sites, after the Blitz
Rosebay willowherb
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/wildflowers/rosebay-willowherb
I repeat that Newcastle fans can not be expected to weigh up international geopolitics when deciding if they can be happy or not that MA is finally going.
Oh. Wait.