Talking Points: Get The Flock Out Shepherd
By Archie Brand On Sun 5 Nov 2006 |
“Where there’s a will there’s a way” - or so the saying goes. How many people actually want Shepherd out? Fifty? A couple of hundred? A thousand? Not very many really - put it down as being just a small pocket of disgruntled punters.
That’s what Fred will say anyway.
If the small pocket was significantly larger - now that would be a different story.
Instead of a few kids wanting to be on telly after the game, a few thousand not turning up for a home match would definitely leave an impression!
With normal home attendances regularly over the 50K mark how long would it take to oust the Fat Controller if they instantaneously dropped to below 40? And then 30? or even lower?
OK - so its not like the Toon would be losing money as all you season ticket holders have already stumped up your readdies, but what would get the message across clearer than 20 thousand fans, who have already paid, not turning up for a match?
Boycott the merchandise, stay away from the matches and tell them why.
You might argue that an empty St James’s Park would have a negative effect on the teams performance - but the current situation doesn’t seem to be helping their performance very much either, does it?
Chanting “Sack The Board” at the end of the match is a bit like going to a restaurant, eating the entire meal then complaining that the meat was undercooked.
Many years ago I was offered the pearl “If you don’t like it - do something about it. Otherwise just sit down and shut the F*@& up”. Which, at the time, I thought was a bit harsh. But my mother was right.
The first question is “How many of you are there?
The second - “Are you willing to do anything about it?”
Archie Brand
Bahrain
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If there is anyone to blame for the mess at Newcastle United I sugest we all take a look in the mirror, as we, the fans, who pay our hard earned money into the club have sat back and allowed Shepherd to dismantle OUR club brick by brick and we’ve done nothing. The lies have stacked up so high that they dwarf the Angel of the North, and we’ve been kicked in the teeth so many times that we’ve had to take out a second mortgage just to pay the dental bill’s, and still we open our wallets and hand over our money, and believe me, the only thing that Shepherd and the Hall’s for that matter, understand is money.
So as long as the replica shirt are flying out the door and the season ticket money is there for the counting, nothing at this club will change. Shepherd could counter this argument with ‘I’ve always backed the manager’ and that is true, but when Robson was offered Boumsong on a free transfer and turned him down, surely the alarm bells should have sounded when Souness wanted £8 million for him. Then there’s James Bettie, who Robson wanted as a long term replacement for Shearer, Shepherd signs Kluivert, an injury prone play boy who Robson wanted nothing to do with, yes he backs the managers but he continually underminds them as well.
I do have sympathy for Roeder in all this as I did in some small way for Souness, as both will give everything for the club, but the basic, fundermental flaw to this is that their best is not good enough. Ranieri, Hiddink, Hitzfeld and O’Neill were all available, but Freddy proved yet again that he has no understanding of football.
All in all £200 million plus spent by six managers to take us from 2nd in the Premiership to 19th, so stand up Mr Shepherd and take a bow, survey your crumbling empire, not a bad effort for a local boy who claims to love the club.
Sent in on: November 7th, 2006 at 12:21 am
Freddy Shepherd says he will stick by Roeder because this is just “a blip”
Dalglish was bulleted after two Premiership draws in 1997-98 (His last game of the previous season was an FA Cup Final)
Gullit went after 5 Premiership games (His previous game of the previous season was an FA Cup Final).
Sir Bobby went in 2004 after four Premiership games after finishing 3rd, 4th and 5th.
The results of those three might rightly have been called “a blip”-
11 Premiership games in with seven matches lost, two drawn and just two won and down in 19th place and it’s a fecking blip?
Sent in on: November 6th, 2006 at 9:48 pm
I agree with your comments Archie but the main point I was really trying to get across was that at the end of the season it could end up being down to a couple of points here and there where we end up, the Championship or the Premiership?
Its not guaranteed that if we change the board and management results will improve, I’d hate to see a half empty St. James’ be one of the causes of us losing out on a vital three points and going down!
Maybe chanelling our feelings and anger after games or in what some people would call less important games in these circumstances (i.e. Watford in the Carling Cup) would be a better way of going about things at the minute. I’m sure 20,000 fans protesting rather than a select few hundred after a game would have a similar effect to 20,000 not turning up for a Premiership game?
Anyway, enough negative talk, I’m sure the club will pull itself out of this mess and we’ll get back to winning ways soon, HOWAY THE LADS!!!!!
Sent in on: November 6th, 2006 at 8:29 pm
John P, Just a quick response to your comments.
I agree that fans not turning up for a game or two will have a negative effect on the performance of the players, but how much worse can it get?
If it takes 2 games to get the message across, we get some action and things improve, then its all worthwhile.
If the current board and management stay in place and nothing is done, that could result in much direr consequences.
Even Fred couldn’t ignore a 20,000 drop in attendance.
Sent in on: November 6th, 2006 at 7:29 pm
Though it would be hard to not attend a game, our present form hardly suggests the players give a shit anyway! So if a few thousand weren’t to turn up I’m sure the message would be heard louder (paradoxically) then if you were to continue accepting these turd like performances every week. You have to be cruel to be kind, and in the long run we have to get rid of the current board and it’s incumbents. Shepherd has never ever been a good chairman, not once. Even the Owen signing was a cynical ploy/gimmick and has left us no better off, and it pains me to see FS’s latest comments, he is missing the point entirely. HE LACKS THE FUNDAMENTAL INTELLIGENCE AND NOUS to manage a club like ours, it isn’t about unity or determination at the boardroom level, it’s about knowing what you’re fucking doing which Freddy clearly doesn’t as our situation goes to show!
Sent in on: November 6th, 2006 at 5:28 pm
I dont’t like to watch the table, but it is the truth. Newcaslte is at the wrong end of the table.
A real interesting way of fan protest has happend in Germany last weekend. The fans of Schalke 04 told, that they would be not cheering or chanting for the first 19 minutes and 4 seconds. 19:04 because the club was founded in 1904. And that was against Bayern Munich!!! It was very quiet in the Veltins Arena.
After 13 minutes they started to chear because Schalke scored. Immediatly the fans calmed down because of their protest. 30 seconds before the anounced end of protest they started to count down. A realy, realy special atmosphere to place in the stadium. Only seconds after the protest was over Schalke scored another goal. What a story, but we are not in a fairy tale. Bayern stroke back and could have equalised.
But the response in the media of this protest was huge. Even in Switzerland, where I live, this was broadcasted.
Sent in on: November 6th, 2006 at 12:54 pm
I don’t think that not turning up for games is the right way to go about this at the minute. In our current situation we cannot afford to leave empty seats at St. James’ and get a negative response from the players as a result. It’s hardly inspiring walking out to thousands of empty seats, and even if it does have an effect on the board, results on the pitch are what matter at the minute.
We might get rid of Freddy but being in the Championship with a good chairman wouldn’t really satisfy me!
We should concentrate on backing the players 100% at the minute, leave the protests until after games. And if the stories are true about fans getting on Scott Parker’s back then I think that is absolutely ridiculous. He’s our captain and would rather die than see us lose a football match!
Sent in on: November 6th, 2006 at 11:03 am
I agree, lets stay home with the family, or play a round of golf with your pals… make no mistake we will be going down this season, we can start a revolt against the FAT B#@%TARD, by not going to the the couple of home matches, WE MUST DO THIS!!! Also we can go to the reception area of SJP after work each and everyday shouting for the removal of FS and the board. TV cameras and media alike will be there to beam the pictures out LIVE for all to see, and that will make the fat sod PEE OFF for good. Come on UNITE with me and the rest of the lads after work each and everyday!! Power to the people I once heard!!! Lets stay UNITED in getting FS and the board to sell up and get lost, and get the winning ways back at St. James Park!!!!
Sent in on: November 6th, 2006 at 9:35 am
A bit severe by me but I jacked my season ticket in after 30 years because of Roeder getting the job and I thought we were heading in the wrong direction and how right I am and I hate to see it. Until we get the right type of manager and no interference from the fat one or better still he goes I will not set foot in St. James’ Park unless I get a freebie and it hurts me to say that.
Sent in on: November 6th, 2006 at 12:10 am
The sad thing is that next season a significant number of season ticket holders are going to decide to play golf or spend time with their families on a Saturday. The real strength of feeling will only be known next year when the season ticket sales fall. Other than that there is little that can be done with regard Freddie. When you own the club no one can sack you.
Sent in on: November 5th, 2006 at 9:27 pm
Change the record for christ sake!
Sent in on: November 5th, 2006 at 8:36 pm
Like writing this is gonna make a difference…
The toon fans are the best in the world and they are never just gonna stop going to matches! Although I want Shepherd out just as much as anyone, probably even more. The best way to do it is for everyone to refuse to leave the stadium and chant Shepherd out, now that will have an effect on that FAT MAN!! But don’t forget it’s harder to get something so fat out of the door at St. James and you wont get that to happen by not turning up for games.
Sent in on: November 5th, 2006 at 8:18 pm