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Ashley to further tighten Toon wallet?

Posted on March 11th, 2010 | 72 Comments |

Player's wages locked somewhere safe?
Player's wages locked somewhere safe?
A rather disturbing allegation has emerged from today’s Daily Mirror which claims that owner Mike Ashley is dangling the carrot of a pay-cut in front of the players should they win promotion to the Premier League. Usually it works the other way round, where players get either a bonus or pay rise for helping the club reach the Premier League and the riches it contains but it seems that this won’t be the case at Newcastle United.

Now you’ll forgive my scepticism as the Mirror has hardly been the last bastion of truth, but this rumour does seem to fit in with Ashley’s vision of how to run a football club, and we all know he is great at doing that!

If your ‘sarcasm meter’ blew up because of that last sentence then I apologise, but it shoudn’t detract from how potentially damaging this story could be whether it be truth or pure fabrication. Aimed at stars such as Kevin Nolan, Alan Smith, Jonas Gutierrez and Fabricio Coloccini the deal that is being offered is apparently an extension to their current deal but with no extra cash, so they will still be getting the same money from the contract just over a longer period of time.

It has been said that doing this would allow the club to strengthen in the transfer market whilst Mike Ashley takes back the personal loans of £35 million he has put into the club this season straight out of the TV money, after that then the club will be put up for sale, again.

Now this sounds very, very far fetched in my view. Of course, you can never say never as far as Mike Ashley is concerned as none of us know what his intentions are, but this just seems a little too extreme. If it is true then I don’t expect some of our senior players to stick around, which will make next seasons battle to stay in the Premier League just that bit harder.

You could also look at it from the viewpoint that Ashley signed a lot of these players, and sanctioned the wages in the first place. I think most of us are aware of the financial problems around football and applaud the common sense approach the club seems to be adopting, but to try to force some of our better players out of the club is asking for trouble with the fans who still have raw wounds from the lies and deceipt of the past.

So why now? Why has this come to light only now? Such a statement could have a knock on effect and jeopardize our promotion chances. What happens if the players read the paper and wonder what the point is? Surely Ashley isn’t stupid enough to let something like this out of the bag at such a crucial stage of the season, is he?

I don’t know, but nothing surprises me anymore. A period of relative calm and it’s all getting stirred up again with, what I believe are false, stories put into print to fill column inches. Ashley had really better hope it isn’t true anyway, as all that pent up ill feeling is still there, deep down, and something like this could be the catalyst to set it all off again. Llambias has recently confirmed Ashley’s commitment to Newcastle, but we all know what Llambias says and what happens can be two completely different things.

Who knows what to believe?

NUFCBlog Author: toonsy toonsy has written 643 articles on this blog.

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Comment on this post

72 Responses

  1. It’s clear that the usually hostile southern press is about to embark on a non-substantiated mission to scupper us. Along with the Mirror, the Mail’s at it already and there appears to be no real substance to its views.

    Absolutely disgraceful and they know that at most there’ll be a ‘no comment’ from the club and that of course adds fuel to the fire!

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1257029/Newcastle-squad-forced-pay-cut-win-promotion-Premier-League.html

  2. Lesh you beat me to it with the daily mail article. Have you noticed also the sensationalised use of wording ….. ‘FORCED’ in the piece’s heading.

    Not so sure if it is the press willinging trying to scupper the club or our erstwhile owner and his saddo sidekick who are the instigators.

    You have to admit we have been going along quite nicely until lamebrain started shooting from the hip.

  3. god, people moan if they say nothing, moan when they say something, now your saying that this story has only come about because lamearse has been talkign to the press a bit?

    you’re a muppet

    at the end of the day, there is nothing to substantiate this story. it boils down to this….

    the press have gathered that we have a wage cap

    the press have gathered that there’s more sensationalism in printing another story to tempt those pea brain geordies in a furious reaction

    its not rocket science chaps.

    i’m glad there’s a wage cap and if it mirrors arsenals then thats fine by me… we will no doubt find that every club will be implementing the same thing as it has been announced that all clubs must be self sufficient and not rely on bail-outs from owners… in essence, this means all clubs will have to take a good long look at their current spending and wage bill.

    at the end of the day, financially, with the toon back on its feet, it will be able to play ball with the likes of chelsea tottenham etc because we’ll be equaling if not bettering their turnover.

    toonsy… why couldnt you have thought a bit more about the article before posting it? you are sensationalizing and fanning the flames by not nipping the story in the bud with a little objective thought

  4. If its a load of tosh, then there should be a statement on the ‘official’ website within hours saying so, they’ve done that before to articles being printed in the crap-loids, so why not this one!!

    If there’s not an offical denial, then there must be some truth in it, simple as that boys!!!

    Personally I think the gys mentioned should take a pay cut, I mean some of them are on over 60k a week, at least if they’ve stayed with us through this season, they stayed because they wanted too, they could have left but they didn’t, so lets hope if it is true, then they’re willing to be on 40k a week for 5 years instead of 60k a week for 3 years, no biggy really!!!

  6. Mags09, I know that MA and DL have done and said some stupid things in their time here, but I just don’t believe they’re daft enough to leak this at this time.

    I’d suggest it’s smart-ar**ed analyst who’s come to that conclusion!

    eastend toon – you’re right to a point but as this’s been published, then folk will speculate and more to the point, make mischief of it.

  7. so cyprus, you say if something isnt officially denied… doesnt matter what its in regards to (not just football) then there must be some truth in it?!?!

    jesus on a donkey… your a perfect by-product of this society arent ya and exactly the type of person that red tops are aimed at!

  8. Correct Cyprus – the artlcle’s left the club with no where to go and no option but to say nothing now. This is the press looking for news that they hope will open up a hornets nest thus giving them more copy.

    It’s a pity they wouldn’t turn on the likes of Citeh, ManU, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and also stop feeling sorry for that poor old South coast club, Portsmouth!

  10. Large pinch of salt needed I think, but if lamearse went on ssn today and said it’s total sh1te it would stop them printing crap as they’d know the club would rubbish rumours they make up. Then they might go out and actually find facts and earn their money.

  12. The best way for fans of nufc to give it the 2 fingers is dont buy that paper full stop boycott it.

  13. agreed jay jay… but when have the papers ever stopped printing crap, even when they’ve been sued for libel a thousand times

    its all for the headlines

  14. Aye eastend, that’s true enough, and I suppose if it is crap, the club might not want to have to rubbish rumours everytime the press print them, there wouldn’t be enough hours in the day.

  15. they cant give pay cuts anyway to existing contracts – they tried that with barton and even though he had been in jail etc they couldnt. the most they could do is sell our high earners such as colo, spiderman, nolan and smith and steve taylor…… which is prob what the fat turd will end up doing. anyway, i see that cashley has flown into the training gorund today, probalby to squash this with the first team on a one-on-one basis.

  16. People keep going on about papers having a go at us and why not pick on other clubs. As much as I agree that yes, they normaly do have a dig, even the national papers come out slightly different in each region. So they will have a certain repoter for the North East and that’s why there is always some Newcastle story/trash. Maybe we should look at another way and think, at least they want to write about us and not the other club a few miles down the road. It may be total trash, but it’s always us they want to talk about

  17. Load of bollocks – while they can they can offer an extension to the contract on reduced wages they can’t extend a contract for the same money as original contract and they can’t enforce a wage cut to an existing contract

  22. as i have said many times club needs a decent PR dept,that could confirm or back-heel all this gutter press crap

  23. Just popping in and away again Toonsy im surprised you made a blog out of this shite that is in the Mirror you must be bored to tears mate

  24. Toonsy – I have to agree with Eastend Toon

    “toonsy… why couldnt you have thought a bit more about the article before posting it? you are sensationalizing and fanning the flames by not nipping the story in the bud with a little objective thought”

    But to be fair Toonsy you get the right balance normally – this is a poisonous line to follow. It should have been headlined “Southern Press Spouting Crap Again?” or “Press doing anything they can to unsettle the rock steady Newcastle” “Desperate Journo’s Pathetic Work” etc

  26. 100% with you there Stardust.

    Fatherhood must’ve softened you as you’re less hostile. You planning any more?

  27. I reckon it’s fair to say toonsy dropped in enough caveats to suggest he thinks it’s bollocks.

    I saw it as a lead-in for you lot to ridicule the press nonsense.

    Job done I guess.

  31. Got to admit Dave / Lesh I will have to find the old me lol.

    Not sure Lesh – Im enjoying it so much I am thinking why have another – but Mrs Stardust is keen – so like all blokes – itll be her that tells me what I am doing lol.

  32. A thouught Bowburn…… could he be drinking the bairn’s gripe water? He’s definately mellower!

  33. Dusty – just make sure you do it quick. Otherwise add 18 years on to whatever period you wait to have another one and that’s when you get your life back (when they head off to uni)!! ;)

    Of course as soon as it happens you’ll be bored senseless and want the kids back home. So I’m led to believe.

    I’ve got a 13-year stretch to go.

  36. Nice one BBB.

    Stardy, Bowburn’s hit the nail on the head and previous behaviour’s explained. Your ASBO might be reviewed as a result of this.

  37. BBM one of mine is in Uni and she is more bother than she ever was only now its allways money :lol:

    Stardy keep doing what ever you are doing mate

  38. It’s always money Big Dave? Now?

    You’ve been lucky – if it’s just started, she must’ve cottoned on late to what dads are for!

  39. harking back to toon fans should get behind club (liambias rant)hows this for club thinking about fans,my sons mate dad is badly disabled told a few yearsago to try to get a hobby,he chose to surport the toon has been season ticket holder now for 8 seasons,his carer has gone to renew for next year,and was told this time he should have been getting ticket at reduced price all this time,then asked what club could for him,nothing that money has been spend,but will give him next years at at the normal reduced price for disabled,

    of cource the club cares about fans bull-s— rant over lads

  40. hi lads! more shit by the papers and i am getting sick of it these clowns talking shit about this club and ashley may not be a saint but this shit is every week and we are still top i cant wait when we go up and put 2 fingers up to all these fans and papers who dont want us to go anywhere. ps they are all scared because if some1 gets it right up their they would be nothing clubs

  41. Oh FFS!
    The mongs of the press are searching for shite to write about us again to try & get a few more pieces of ass-wipe sold, what a turgid & tawdry crock.

    They smell money, while we smell shite.

    Boycott their vile crap now, before we even et to the prem.
    They just see us as gullible fools & a cash cow.
    Tosspots!

  42. hahaha just read it, its like 4 sentences long and has no quotes in it!
    vile and embarrassing, dont even bother losing a second of thought over this story

  43. It’s hard to know what to believe anymore – so I’m just going to accept that it’s red-top garbage, and I’m going to enjoy the rest of the season.

    I DEFINITELY MUST find a way of watching SKY games without the commentary now though, because If I hear any of this sh*te being recycled while I’m trying to watch the Plymouth game, etc. I WILL HAVE A F*CKING FIT!

    I’ve tried listening to Greenie and the others on five live while watching the TV, but the TV pics lag behind the radio commentary (when the TV coverage has the same game as the radio, that is).

    I might have to watch the games in silence.

    Still, better than having a coronary! :)

  44. Bowburn…. have you noticed, not a peep from Stardust since 1147?

    He’s definately mellowed or having a little nap before the bairn’s next feed!

    Enjoy it Mr Stardust, enjoy watching her grow up and you’ll savour those memories when she gets nearer to her teens.

  45. I used to look forward to those afternoon naps!!

    Exhausted after sleepless nights, I was always torn between watching a film , having a blast on ProEvo or getting forty winks

  48. I notice that when Liverpool fans demonstrate it’s a reserved and respectful one!! (TV Comentators)

    And when Newcastle do it, it’s reactionary and bigotted!!

  50. Maverick says:
    March 11, 2010 at 3:15 pm

    “I notice that when Liverpool fans demonstrate it’s a reserved and respectful one!! (TV Comentators)

    And when Newcastle do it, it’s reactionary and bigotted!!”

    Maverick, which TV commentators referred to Newcastle fans as “reactionary and bigoted”?

  52. “Now you’ll forgive my scepticism as the Mirror has hardly been the last bastion of truth, but this rumour does seem to fit in with Ashley’s vision of how to run a football club, and we all know he is great at doing that!”

    That’s the whole idea, Toonsy. When journalist’s make up stories, they want them to be specious, to have a kind of plausiblity behind them, even though they are nearly always complete guff.

  53. I am prepared to believe that Ashley will put in place a stringent transfer policy in the summer to see us relegated again but I cannot accept that he is asking players to take a pay cut.

    He’s silly, but not deranged!

  56. worky – I know. I just honestly can’t believe that I’m saying I beleive it to be false. With things like “Now you’ll forgive my scepticism as the Mirror has hardly been the last bastion of truth”, “whether it be truth or pure fabrication”, “Now this sounds very, very far fetched in my view”, “what I believe are false, stories put into print to fill column inches”.

    Surely that is enough to highlight the fact that I very much doubted the report? You’d think the people that are quick to jump on the bandwagon of toonsy slating would read this and see that, apparently not!

  57. Johno – Some people cynically beleive that it would be to pocket the money from promotion and the parachute payment from relegation.

    It wouldn’t make business sense. £50 million for a season in the prem, which gets knocked down to £11 for relegation. It would make no sense to drop £40 million every other year.

  58. we are a cash cow when we go up! if are wage bill goes up to 55 mil plus he will stil make money at newcastle were are rev would go past 100 mil he will have wage cuts put in players contracts who we buy in the summer if we go down. but if we do well then we are the only club in that league if run properly can make loads of money. if this club some how can get in the top 4 in the next 3 years then we will easily get to the 200 mil mark. look at liverpool and chelsea they are making that and not even big as us in gates or shirt sales and if some body gets it right only united can stop us making more money then us or arsenal.

  59. Toonsy > Surely that is enough to highlight the fact that I very much doubted the report? You’d think the people that are quick to jump on the bandwagon of toonsy slating would read this and see that, apparently not!

    I take it in this case I am on the toonsy slating Bandwagon lol I just couldnt understand why you helped the Mirror to fill more column inches. I just think it creates more negativity thats all buddy ;)

  60. 55 Johno Toon says:
    March 11, 2010 at 4:52 pm
    Stuart79 why would Ashley want us to get promoted n then relegated again?

    I am merely forming my opinion on what will happen if we go up to the PL with this group of players and with Hughtons hands tied behind his back finacially.

  62. Dave – Or you could look at it that I was writing things for you guys to debate, like I generally try to do.

  63. Can you people tell me who do not deserves the pay cut in the team?

    If the news is true, so be it. Many of our 1st team players are over paid and cant do a proper job.

    Common, its not going to be 50% cut.

    And anyway, its going to do us alot of good then bad for long term.

    Its the right direction TO START WITH! (if its true)

    1) Newcastle will not attract the wrong kind of players to the club anymore.

    GOOD PAY IS ONLY FOR GOOD PLAYERS, AND THERE ARE ALSO PERFORMANCE PAY FOR AVERAGE PLAYERS REMEMBER)

    So guys is Mark Vaduka a good player or a performance base player? And why did Alan Shearer ask Mark wheather he want to go back to his beaches or stay and fight?

    Paying good players and paying players with good performance plays a part!

  64. @toonsy

    “Or you could look at it that I was writing things for you guys to debate, like I generally try to do.”

    No one wants to debate, toonsy. They want everyone to lay off Llambias and Ashley.

    It’s for the best. It will make things so much better for next season.

    You’re just depressing people. Give it up.

    Remember what happened at the end of The Stepford Wives :)

  65. Ah well Darth, now you’ve spoken I’ll make sure I change my ways.

    *sarcasm*

    :D

    Bit rich to blame it all on me don’t you think? ;)

  67. Looks like both Joe Cole and a few others are being asked to take pay cuts at Chelsea.
    Of course either their contracts are will be up come summer or are being offered extensions at less dosh.
    So it aint the suvern press aiming at poor old provincial Geordieland again.
    It`s dumb for anyone to mention pay cuts, players have contracts and simply refuse, just like Joey.
    Sure they could be sold, but they have to agree to that also, but the hammer is with the players, they can just run out the contract and angle for a higher pay rate as a free agent.
    Think there will be an attempted cleanout of players such as Smith, Butt, possibly Nolan and would`nt be surprised to see Pancras and Lovenkrands go, even Joey if the right price was offered, we will see, just dont expect any money to be spent.

  71. Fairly even article.

    Gives his rights and wrongs.

    Ultimately it’s his fault he’s had to pump this extra money in though – Credit to him for doing that.

    Still think it’ll be back on the market come May. He won’t want to risk relegation again and I don’t think he has the stomach to fund what will be needed to guarentee staying in the PL.

    Who can blame him for that? Reckon he’s had a bit of a scare.