AndyRM
XOXO
- Location
- North Shields
As usual, nufc.com have a pretty accurate write up of the situation:
The morning after the night before - and as evidence of the celebrations is cleared up, thoughts turn not only to the future, but also the wreckage of the last fourteen years.
For those fans growing up in the Mike Ashley era, a change of ownership represents a genuine new beginning to their supporting career - if all you've ever known is this, then you're entitled to your #cans.
Older generations however can recall one or two previous days that were pivotal; be it the arrival of Sir John Hall or Ashley's takeover in 2007 - the latter event giving rise to optimism that better days lay ahead for this club.
We now know that it didn't; the road to division and indifference littered with unwise appointments, needless court cases, regrettable public statements, and baffling squad recruitment policies.
It's more than the infamous paddling pools and "couldn't get it over the line" transfer windows - it wasn't all about the money, much was spent, plenty wasted. It's the "can't compete, won't compete" mindset that needs to be exorcised - a collective inferiority complex.
The legacy of a businessman who failed to capitalise on a colossal opportunity and harness its commercial potential has been to unify a fractured fan base; united in relief that those red and blue adverts will come crashing down.
Alongside that though runs optimism over our future prospects and concerns over the new ownership of the club and their suitability for the colossal amount of work required to "build back better".
Our constant mantra throughout the last 14 years was that our chances of progress were hindered by a failure to bring in football people - or keep any we got. That needs to change, and not just in terms of the first team management.
In terms of the support, many are in the Anybody but Mike club currently; those promised riches from Saudi Arabia almost a side issue to bidding good riddance of the sandshoe salesman and his cronies.
That will recede though as the incomers begin to flex their muscles - and the new era brings challenges for the support. Changing the stadium name for instance and seeing just what the new lot deem to be a practical level of fan consultation and communication.
Others are more than uncomfortable with the track record of those promising to invest in the club and the region in terms of abhorrent human rights abuses and domestic criminal legislation.
To that - and sports washing accusations - we don't pretend to have the answers, but share those misgivings, regardless of the fact that the occupants of Buckingham Palace and Downing Street seem not to.
In a perfect world we'd not be owned by Sports Direct or PIF and not be called upon as football fans to make moral judgements, but this seems to be the reality of the Premier League in 2021.
A change of ownership has come too late for some of those fans who have walked away because of the path that football has taken, not just on Barrack Road.
And while calls for Premier League transparency have receded markedly in NE postcodes, the fan-led review that Nadine Dorres and the DCMS are tasked with remains important - unless we're happy to pull up the drawbridge now apparently sitting at the top table.
Have a ponder about where you'll stand if and when European Super League returns and the NUFC badge appears on the proposals. There will be a cost for what we stand to gain.
Separation may have been proven to the satisfaction of the football authorities at least in terms of the new owners, but achieving that among the fanbase will be a more elongated process.
If nothing else though, the reset button has been pressed, something that we privately never thought would happen.
It remains to be seen what lies ahead for this club, but bidding farewell to the days of ticking over is a genuine cause for celebration.
The morning after the night before - and as evidence of the celebrations is cleared up, thoughts turn not only to the future, but also the wreckage of the last fourteen years.
For those fans growing up in the Mike Ashley era, a change of ownership represents a genuine new beginning to their supporting career - if all you've ever known is this, then you're entitled to your #cans.
Older generations however can recall one or two previous days that were pivotal; be it the arrival of Sir John Hall or Ashley's takeover in 2007 - the latter event giving rise to optimism that better days lay ahead for this club.
We now know that it didn't; the road to division and indifference littered with unwise appointments, needless court cases, regrettable public statements, and baffling squad recruitment policies.
It's more than the infamous paddling pools and "couldn't get it over the line" transfer windows - it wasn't all about the money, much was spent, plenty wasted. It's the "can't compete, won't compete" mindset that needs to be exorcised - a collective inferiority complex.
The legacy of a businessman who failed to capitalise on a colossal opportunity and harness its commercial potential has been to unify a fractured fan base; united in relief that those red and blue adverts will come crashing down.
Alongside that though runs optimism over our future prospects and concerns over the new ownership of the club and their suitability for the colossal amount of work required to "build back better".
Our constant mantra throughout the last 14 years was that our chances of progress were hindered by a failure to bring in football people - or keep any we got. That needs to change, and not just in terms of the first team management.
In terms of the support, many are in the Anybody but Mike club currently; those promised riches from Saudi Arabia almost a side issue to bidding good riddance of the sandshoe salesman and his cronies.
That will recede though as the incomers begin to flex their muscles - and the new era brings challenges for the support. Changing the stadium name for instance and seeing just what the new lot deem to be a practical level of fan consultation and communication.
Others are more than uncomfortable with the track record of those promising to invest in the club and the region in terms of abhorrent human rights abuses and domestic criminal legislation.
To that - and sports washing accusations - we don't pretend to have the answers, but share those misgivings, regardless of the fact that the occupants of Buckingham Palace and Downing Street seem not to.
In a perfect world we'd not be owned by Sports Direct or PIF and not be called upon as football fans to make moral judgements, but this seems to be the reality of the Premier League in 2021.
A change of ownership has come too late for some of those fans who have walked away because of the path that football has taken, not just on Barrack Road.
And while calls for Premier League transparency have receded markedly in NE postcodes, the fan-led review that Nadine Dorres and the DCMS are tasked with remains important - unless we're happy to pull up the drawbridge now apparently sitting at the top table.
Have a ponder about where you'll stand if and when European Super League returns and the NUFC badge appears on the proposals. There will be a cost for what we stand to gain.
Separation may have been proven to the satisfaction of the football authorities at least in terms of the new owners, but achieving that among the fanbase will be a more elongated process.
If nothing else though, the reset button has been pressed, something that we privately never thought would happen.
It remains to be seen what lies ahead for this club, but bidding farewell to the days of ticking over is a genuine cause for celebration.
