United Fans and Protesting
By N.O On Tue 9 Sep 2008 |
As you may or may not be aware, talk of protesting against the club in regards to the events of the past few weeks is currently being readily discussed amongst Newcastle fans and fan-sites alike.
As a platform for the views of all United fans, Newcastle-Online.com does not hold a particular opinion in either favour in regards to the possible protesting. There are so many differing views and opinions as to the best, and most potentially productive, courses of action that we can’t possibly advocate in favour of any specific type of protest.
All we can do is provide you, the reader, with the information available so for those who wish to register their protest, there are a number of options being put forward by other supporter organisations and those are detailed below:
1. An immediate and indefinite boycott of all Newcastle United merchandise to include replica shirts, other club clothing and any items sold at official NUFC outlets, including…Newcastle United programmes and magazines as well as food, drinks and beverages of any description…raffle tickets, lotteries…Shearer’s Bar as well as club cafes, official club tours [and] visits to the NUFC museum.
2. This boycott to be extended to any retail outlet or product owned either in full or in part by Mike Ashley e.g. Sports Soccer, Lillywhites etc.
3. Supporters vocally expressing their disgust against the current regime whether they are at the match or not.
4. [The agreement] that Mike Ashley does not attend away games amongst the travelling support.
One thing that is clear from all parties is that there is absolutely no condoning of any violent or illegal action whatsoever.
Potential protestors have also insisted that the team must not be affected by any actions taken - meaning no boycott of the Hull City game or any game following on from that. The team still deserve the support of all Newcastle United fans.
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just a thought as the beer goes down, will the players ‘do a Man City’ and let Ashley know that they too are ‘unhappy’ with the treatment of Kev?
Sent in on: September 12th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Joel Teague is talking alot of sence there, i really belive Ashley couldnt give a shite if no one buys food or drink at the match tomorrow its penny’s to him. But imagine the impacted of an empty stadium, the media would have a field day and thats what we need to happen if we are going to pressure him to sell up.
There is a peaceful protest outside the old milburn stand Reception from 2pm. Lets get a few thousand fans there and see what happens.
Sent in on: September 12th, 2008 at 11:46 am
I don’t agree that we need to get behind the team. Without the paying supporters the team are nothing and the club is nothing. So what if we lose to Hull because the players don’t feel supported, this isn’t about us having our noses put out of joint, instead it is about Mike Ashley and whoever has advised him so badly traeting the people who make the club what is with a total lack of respect.
I say boycott the next 3 home matches; although gate receipts won’t drop, sponsors may become hesitant about having their name associated with such a shambolic football club and we will have sent out a very clear message to Ashley and his cronies. Ashley’s business interests are looking considerably shakey at present and such an action by the fans could force him to sell up.
I don’t mind who buys the club so long as the style of management they wish to adopt is clearly identified and the fans are treated with the respect they deserve.
Let’s not let this fizzle out. Clearly Ashley believes that we’ll all forget about what has happened and will return to St James’ with a new found respect for him, Wise and the club.
Actions speak louder than words, hit the club where it hurts. Remember we will be supporting Newcastle United long after Ashley, Wise and co have gone so it’s up to us to ensure that we support a club we feel proud of.
Sent in on: September 12th, 2008 at 10:07 am
I have been a long suffering fan all my life and a season ticket holder for many years. Keegan was the light at the end of a very long tunnel and I am gutted about what Ashley and his motley crew have done to our club The future of our club is in our hands and we MUST all stick together as one and show this ruthless manipulator that we will not tolerate what he is doing. I am 100% behind a boycott of the Hull game. The players are most likely as livid as the fans as to what is going on and Ashley has proved he thinks as little of them as he does of us so they would understand. I hope we don’t let this drop as Ashley is pinning his hopes of this just being a flash in the pan and he thinks we will let it drop after a week or two. Lets prove him wrong and show we will not rest until the blood sucking asset stripper is no longer anything to do with our club
Sent in on: September 11th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
i shall not be going to the hull game, and to be honest i hope most other fans don’t, the whole country will be watching to see what is going on, this is the best way for media coverage to put pressure on ashley and show him he cannot mess about with our club, we have to make an immediate statement and this is it. if the ground is three quarter’s full, to me that shows we are not all together, this game and the spurs game in the cup live on sky are the two which are the most important to boycott
Sent in on: September 11th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
I completely agree with Joel Teague on boycott of Hull match. We must see the big picture here for once. When Shepherd and Hall conducted their famous interview slagging off ‘thick Geordies’ they rode out the protests because of our loyalty to the team. Ashley does not have to live here, he has his mafia to run down our anger from the comfort of London. He is a spiv and a bully with financial muscle. The only thing he will respond to is public and monitory pressure. We have to push him into selling, and not buying a few shits won’t make any difference, we are one city in the country, others will not support our boycott so the effect is minimal. The players would understand a match boycott because like Keegan they were shown no respect by being put up for sale en masse. If we protest outside the ground the players will know it is to support them and it will be beamed around the world that NUFC fans are fiercely loyal to their team but also demand integrity in the management of the club.
Sent in on: September 10th, 2008 at 11:50 am
Whilst a boycott of the match v Hull would certainly provide a visible demonstration to Ashley et al of the strength of feeling amongst the Toon Army, there is a great danger that by doing so will split the fan base and thus weaken the impact. (Unless we could get SJP completley empty then the commentators would very easily think they were just watching a match at the Riverside.)
I would suggest that we court as many fans as possible TO attend and make use of a full SJP to audibly demonstrate our feelings - 90 mins of cordinated verbal protesting would make far more of an impact, even going so far as giving all fans A4 sized Red Cards to hold up throughout the match to show what we think of Ashley and his gang.
There are only two thing which will force AShley’s hand - a threat to his pocket or disrupt his cosy position at the club at every opportunity
Sent in on: September 9th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Lets stop skirting round the edges here.
What has gone on is unacceptable, it sickens me to the core, it has brought great emabarrasement to our club, our city and the region. This behaviour goes against everything we are as geordies, it goes against everything we stand for, these lies must not and will not be tolerated.
What has gone on has been universally condemned. When the Rock fell I was gutted for my home town, when this happened I was devasted, I felt like someone had beaten the hell out of my best mate and I’d been made to watch.
But this isn’t like the Rock, we can influence the outcome of this awful episode, But please make no mistake not buying a few shirts or pies isn’t going to end this axis of evil that has established itself from the Gallowgate to London, this isn’t something that can be overcome by simple chants.
Let the boycotting begin, the press our on our side this time they will back us all the way. We must make it so blindly obvious to a man whose ruthless streak is so well documented in the city, we must make the decison so simple for this regime who have understimated how deep the passion runs here, that their mistakes are so catestrophic that there is no possible way that their tenure can continue.
Messrs Wise, Jimmenz, Llambias and Ashligh must be brought to book, they are digging in for battle as we speak, they have drawn the lines and the longer their presence is tolerated the harder it will be rid our club of this incomptence.
I for one will not set foot in the ground untill their ignorance has left us. Even thinking of them leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
Sent in on: September 9th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
None of the four options will have much impact. I agree with Joel Teague’s comment that Ashley will know it will be only for a short period of time and ride it out.
“Potential protestors have also insisted that the team must not be affected by any actions taken - meaning no boycott of the Hull City game or any game following on from that.”
I defintately don’t agree with the above statement. I assume you mean potential protestors as in individual fans that choose to protest. The forums/fans I have spoken to certainly don’t express these views and many believe boycotting the Hull match is the only viable option to get our point across to Ashley in the hope he will sell up and get out! - I am 100% behind this action.
I also believe the players will realise what is going on and won’t be that upset at a boycott. Keegan was very popular among the players and they must realise that the club is in crisis and on a downward slope. A boycott at the Hull Match may ultimately save them from having to hand in a transfer request if it helps to get Ashley out and the club moving in the right direction again.
Sent in on: September 9th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Hi there,im not a newcastle united fan but i think its absolutely fantastic how the fans of newcastle have stuck together and stud up for themselves against the board of directors.I hope that they will carry on and stick to thier principles and boycott the next match because with out the fans and their dedication and loyalty the board wouldnt have a job.If more fans from other clubs had the same courage as the newcastle fans then the FA wouldnt have so many underhanded dealings.Good Luck to you all Huddersfield Town fan.
Sent in on: September 9th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
I have to say that I fully agree with Joel. I’m a 100% Newcastle United fan, and the last thing I would ever want to do is turn my back on the players. The players themselves know what has gone on and I agree that they would understand if nobody turned up to the match against Hull.
There are alternates too. All the fans could turn up as normal, but wait outside of St. James Park until about 15 minutes after kick off. The protest is still there, the cameras still see empty seats, and the board get the message.
Or, arrive at St. James Park as normal, but for the first 15, 30 or 45 minutes, all the Newcastle supporters remain 100% silent and motionless. Even if a goal is scored in the Toons favour. THAT would make headlines alright.
Or another suggestion. Arrive at St. James as normal but not one supporter buys a single programme, pie, beer or drink. Big chunk of revenue in Mr. Ashleys pocket is instantly gone.
There are lots of things we can do as supporters to try and get our message across to Mike Ashley, but if you want VISUAL affects (and headlines) it has to be some sort of boycott at the next match. He may not be there in person, but the noise of a boycott would sent shockwaves far enough around the world for even Mike Ashley to hear in a nightclub in New York!!!!
Sent in on: September 9th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
I still think a one-match boycott is the only sufficiently strong statement to make a difference. Not buying shirts and beer is hardly front page news, but thousands of empty seats on the TV certainly is. Be honest - can you really see Ashley quaking in his boots because merch sales are down? He’ll ride it out, knowing things will return to normal.
But being hounded by the press for comment about how it feels to be the first man in history to upset the Toon Army enough to stay out of SJP? Knowing his £250 million is worth next to nowt because the fans have made it clear that they hold the real power?
As for “we’re always here for the team”, this is exactly the cop-out Ashley is relying on. We’re sticking up for the players here too - they must be hoping for something dramatic to save them from having to hand in transfer notices in January. Don’t think for a moment that they won’t fully understand why they are playing in front of empty seats. They will support it.
Ashley has to see in the most graphic (and legal) way possible that the fans dictate the value of his investment. I say a one-match boycott will demonstrate that far better than anything else.
This is the future of the club we’re dealing with. 3 points is not important right now.
Sent in on: September 9th, 2008 at 9:41 am
PROTEST MARCH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TOTT
Thanks for reading this, if you are interested in a Protest March on Saturday, please indicate so by signing here
http://www.gopetition.co.uk/online/21764.html
ASHLEY OUT !!!!!!!
Sent in on: September 9th, 2008 at 9:25 am