Why Mike Ashley Isn't In A Hurry To Sell Newcastle United

Lately I have read stories about how, why & when Mike Ashley will sell Newcastle United.  Hopefully, the following facts & musings will show why he won't.  When I say hopefully, it's not because I would like him to stay at NUFC.  Quite the opposite.  I say hopefully as it will go some way to dispelling the fantasy hows, whys & whens that I've read so much about.

I will also comment on some of the thoughts & strategies behind the campaigns to put pressure on Ashley to leave, why I feel these protests are misdirected, and what may happen if & when he sells.

Please note: This blog is merely my opinion on the above subjects, however there are also researched facts in there that are readily available with a simple Google search. 

First of all, the stories doing the rounds.  Many people believe that, by buying shares in Glasgow Rangers, Mike Ashley is gearing up for a possible takeover of the Scottish (sleeping) giants.  They say that he will be able to buy Rangers on the cheap and, as Scottish football is so uncompetitive and so few clubs have the supporter base that Rangers do, it will be relatively cheap & easy to get them back to the top of the Scottish Premier League and indeed into the Champions League.  This, they say, is where Ashley will make even more money than he can & does at NUFC.  Absolute rubbish.

Yes, he may well be able to buy Rangers & take them to the Champions League on a relative shoestring compared to how much it would cost to do the same with NUFC, but would he gain financially from it?  Not a chance.  Why?  That's simple.

The SPL is a pauper compared to the English Premier League.  Viewing figures for the SPL are about 150,000 per game - with Rangers v Celtic 'Old Firm' games bringing in about 900,000 viewers - with very little interest outside of Scotland itself.  The latest TV rights are worth £63m over 4 years to be distributed across the entire league.  This is down from £80m before Rangers were demoted to Division 3.

Contrast that with the Premier League.  Viewing figures for this are 4.7 BILLION per season.  Over the 380 televised games, this gives an average figure of 12.3 MILLION viewers per game.  In the 2011-2012 season, NUFC alone made more than £54m in TV rights money. 

This will increase in 2013-2014 to a minimum of £66m for finishing 10th. 

So, lets say you're Mike Ashley.  How many people would you rather have seeing your Sports Direct advertising every week?  It's a no-brainer.  Ahhh, but look how many people watch the Champions League.  Surely this would make up that short-fall.  Again, no.  All advertising shown in UEFA (and FIFA) competitions is strictly monitored and restricted to UEFA (or FIFA) 'partners'.  Just look at the kerfuffle caused by Nicklas Bendtner showing off an unauthorised logo on his underpants during the last European Championships for proof of this.....

This means that Ashley would simply not be allowed to advertise during the Champions League - save for Sports Direct sponsoring the Rangers shirts.  But why would he cut off another avenue of income for something he doesn't even need to spend money on at NUFC?  He wouldn't.   

On to the Sports Direct advertising in question.  This is free to SD.  It would be worth around £8m per season if it was sold at the going rate.  NUFC has admitted as such.  Now take a look at that advertising again.  Those electronic boards at St. James' Park don't just advertise Sports Direct in the UK to UK audiences - they now advertise for SD sites in France, Spain, Italy, Malaysia, China, you name it.  And they advertise it to a global audience of 12.3 million people per week.

It is the sole reason that since Mike Ashley bought NUFC, the Sports Directs financial figures have increased as follows (the figures below cover just the last 4 years as an example):

-  Turnover has increased from £1.37 billion in 2009 to £2.18 billion in 2013.

-  Operating profit has increased from £67.8 million in 2009 to £213 million in 2013.

-  Profit before tax has increased from £10.7 million in 2009 to £207 million in 2013.

-  Profit after tax has increased from a LOSS of £15.5 million in 2009 to a profit of £151 million in 2013.

Why would any sane businessman give that amount of money up? & lets be brutally honest here - love him or hate him - you have to admit that as a businessman Mike Ashley is utterly brilliant.  That is a fact you can not deny as the facts above speak for themselves.

So, that blows the Rangers theory out of the water.  It also dispels the thought process of some people who think Ashley will sell NUFC as soon as the debt the club owes to him is paid back.  Look at the Sports Direct financial figures above again.  It has more than been paid back.  With bells on.

In short, Mike Ashley is using Newcastle United Football Club as a marketing tool for Sports Direct - nothing more, nothing less - and he is reaping the considerable rewards that go with it.  The money from the TV rights is purely just an added bonus.

No onto some of the campaigns to try & get Mike Ashley out of NUFC.  They won't work.  It really is as simple as that.  He is a ruthless, hard-nosed businessman who doesn't give a flying fuck what people think of him & has proved this time & time again.

Hit him in the pocket:  Stop buying pies & pints?  He doesn't care as the catering at SJP is run by a concession (in this case Sodexo) so he makes money regardless.  If they pull out, there will be someone else willing to take over.  Stop shopping in Sports Direct?  For every NUFC fan that (already) does that there are hundreds of thousands of others worldwide who still do.  How are you going to stop them?

Even stopping going to games won't hurt him that badly financially.  Lets say (on a best case scenario) that 20,000 NUFC fans stop going to every game.  That still leaves 30,000 tickets per game at say £40 per ticket.  That's equals £1.2m per game times 19 home league games which equals £22.8m per season.  That would certainly put a dent in the books, but one again softened by the £60m+ per year the club makes in TV revenue as well as the money earned by Sports Direct. 

The other thorn in the paw of these protests is that there are too many NUFC 'supporter groups'.  Liverpool's Spirit of Shankly group has over 18,000 members.  All the NUFC supporter groups combined can't match that figure - and the reason why is simple: Egos.  To many people are only in it for themselves to raise their own profiles.

Groups can not and will not merge with each other under one banner as the individual egos will all strive to run and control any single formed group.  This already brings many disagreements which is further proved by certain groups being unwilling to attend meetings under the @NUFCFansUtd and #Time4Change flags.

Today's latest non-starter being promoted by the @Mike_Ashley_Out group is to stage a sit-in at NUFC's "Nine" bar before & after the home game with Aston Villa.  The same group who is also "promoting the continued boycott of all companies associated with him".  So by protesting there & hoping the media will report on it does it not occur to the MAOC that they are actually giving free advertising to a company associated with him?  Does the MAOC not also think that this will further alienate some NUFC fans who either don't believe in or don't want to be involved with their protest, thus turning even more people against them?  

How well received do they think the protests in the club shop were before & after the home game with Spurs the other week?  Shouting, bullying and harassing people - mums and dads with kids - from choosing to do something they disagree with.  It was and is an outrage.  These campaigns appear to be less thought out and more desperate at every turn.  Don't get me wrong - I am not knocking the efforts people go to in organising such things - just some of their methods.

The only single way that any protest could get under the skin of Mike Ashley is on a massive prolonged scale, in the ground, during a televised game.  Something that would bring the fans together.  It would be sure to irk him that's for sure.  As to whether or not is would have any effect is debatable.  We all know some of the stunts he has pulled on us in retaliation - the re-naming of St. James' Park is just one example.


My personal opinion is the the protest groups are targeting the wrong people.  Look at the current NUFC squad, both pre and post Cabaye.  We have a team full of talented international footballers who are being badly coached and badly managed and coached using bad formations and bad tactics.

Look at the current NUFC squad.  How have so many good players been turned into such bad players if not for being badly coached and badly managed using bad formations and bad tactics?

Look at the current NUFC squad.  Those players, if coached and managed competently and correctly using good formations and good tactics should be challenging the there or thereabouts at the top end of the table.  Certainly not for the title.  That is a step too far. But we should certainly be bothering the top 4 and as a minimum, challenging for and playing in Europe on a regular basis.

Any manager & his coaching team worth their salt and with just an ounce of pride would set up his team to achieve this in spite of Mike Ashley - not because of him.  The fact we are not proves that Alan Pardew is a puppet of Ashley's, following his remit of retaining Premier League status in order to feed Mike's wallet to the tune of £60m+ TV money per year as well as the millions in profit Sports Direct earns from NUFC being in the Premier League.

It seems to me that the protests towards Ashley become more vocal dependant on what happens on the pitch.  When NUFC were doing ok before Christmas there was hardly a peep from the protesters.  Since Christmas however - when things on the pitch have been going badly - the volume has increased.  Therefore, is it not the spineless, pathetic, untalented, foot-in-mouth Alan Pardew who should be targeted, rather than the owner?

Finally (I hear you all breathe a sigh of relief!) what could happen if Ashley does eventually leave?  Well, it's certainly going to take a ridiculous amount of money to make it happen.  The wish would be for someone similar to those who own Manchester City - although the new UEFA financial fair play rules would put paid to massive investment on the playing side of things on that sort of scale.  However, it could be a case of buyer beware - and we should all be wary of the Venky's and Vincent Tan's out there.  People who are in it purely to stoke their own egos (even more than some of our supporter groups.....) and people who give even less of a shit what people think of them than Ashley does. 


Could Mike Ashley's ownership of Newcastle United be a case of better the devil we know?  Answers on a postcard please.  Just as long as you didn't buy it from the club shop..... 

Winter Warming Essentials - The Best 5 Jackets for Winter 2012

After waiting months for a summer that never really arrived, Mother Nature has made a statement of intent by bringing the winter weather in early.  

With the cold, wet & wind upon us, now is the right time to be thinking about your winter wardrobe.  

Up first are jackets, and these are my 5 current favourites.


1 - adidas Originals Hooded Windbreaker Jacket - £85.00

This adidas Originals hooded windbreaker jacket in Dark Royal Blue is bang on the money.  It has a full front zip fastening and elasticated hood, with four large button fastening pockets and one zip fasten pocket on the left chest.  Also on the left chest is a tone-on-tone white suede-effect logo tab giving this jacket minimal branding.  It also features a large pocket on the lower back which enables it to be folded into a pouch if need be.

This jacket fits true to size, is lightweight and comfortable and would look great with a pair of dark blue jeans & classic adidas Originals trainers, like the Gazelle OG.  

This won't be for the coldest or wettest nights, but is an absolute corker to wear to the pub & will be brilliant for wearing to the match when (or rather if!) spring comes.  It is also available in Black - but I think it looks the business in this shade of 'adidas' blue.


It is available from the goods eggs at Northern Threads priced at £85.00


2 - Fila Beta Jacket - £120.00

Yes, the 'bubble coat' (or 'Puffa Jacket' as it is sometimes known!) is back, and it is easy to see why with this lovely piece of kit from Fila. 

The Fila Beta jacket has a glossy polyester outer shell with a polyester inner lining and a down feather padding. A knitted tape detail features down the centre front placket, around the collar and hood opening. 

There is an internal faux sheepskin collar for warmth and the hood is detachable with a nylon zip. There are two jetted pockets to the front of the garment and a chunky rib knit is used at the hem and cuff. The iconic Fila 'F' badge is located on the left chest. 

This is definitely one for the colder nights & will keep out the wind and rain, whilst keeping you toasty warm and looking fantastic - without making you look like the Michelin man!  It is equally wearable over a work suit as it is with jeans & trainers.

To me, it looks best in black, but it is also available in bluey/grey colour called 'night shadow'.  It is available directly from Fila priced at a very reasonable £120.00.


3 - MA.Strum RB-1 Bomber Jacket - Reduced from £210.00 to £125.00

 

The archives of Massimo Osti have produced this fantastic RB-1 Bomber Jacket from MA.Strum.  It is a great piece at full price, but is an absolute bargain when it is as heavily reduced as this.

It has a waterproof Japanese parachute ripstop nylon outer layer and features a removable hood, a two-way zip, removable MA.Strum badge that can be worn on either the pocket, hood or on the neck (when the hood is removed), two side entry pockets and the jacket can be folded up into one pocket.  It is finished with rubber reinforced press studs. 

In my humble opinion, it looks best in this Cyprus Green colour and is available in Medium, Large & XXL.  It is also available in Mission Orange (all sizes), Sandstone Grey (all sizes), Sulphur Gold (all sizes) and Navy (all sizes).

This is very much a 'casual' jacket & should be teamed up with similar items.  I would suggest you snap this up quickly while it is reduced from £210 to £125 from Terraces Menswear who are also offering free UK postage not just on this item, but on all orders over £40.00.


4 - Stone Island Hooded Light Weight Jacket - £320.00

 

This Stone Island hooded jacket has a warm fleece lining, a light-weight (soft shell) zip front with a branded press-stud overlap, two side pockets, one press-stud breast pocket, a hidden hood and a velcro tab closure across the funnel neck.  It may be quite plain & simple, but that is what makes it look so great!

I know Stone Island's reputation hasn't been all that brilliant for the past few years, but people should spend more time looking at the clothing and less time at the people wearing it, as this jacket proves that they are still knocking out great pieces and have been getting back to their very best in recent times.

This can be worn either smart/casual or with a more relaxed jeans & trainers style.  I think it looks best in this light grey colour (available in sizes M and XL) and it is also available in black (in sizes M, L, XL, XXL and XXXL) both from Zohm Uomo who are offering free UK postage on orders over £50.00. 

5 - Vivienne Westwood Double Breasted Grey Wool Pea Coat- £499.00

It's hard to know where to start with this beautiful Pea Coat from Vivienne Westwood.  This luxury coat is double-breasted with a branded button fasten front, two front side pockets and strap details to the cuffs, it is fully lined with one inside pocket also has two back vent details.

As with most of Westwood's classic items, the detail is in the details, & this jacket looks great by doing just enough to keep it interesting, but without being too fussy.  The colour, cut and finish of this coat make it a once-in-a-lifetime purchase that you won't regret.

This is a smart jacket to be worn on more formal occasions such as for work or on a date, with smart trousers & shoes.  It is available with FREE DELIVERY from Van Mildert priced at £499.00.  It isn't cheap, but this is a jacket that will look great year after year and will last forever. 

An NUFC Fans' Guide to Southampton Away

As a Geordie who has lived in Southampton for over 7 years, I feel more than qualified to write a guide for Newcastle fans who are coming down for the away game at St. Mary’s Stadium on Sunday 25th November, so here it is!
 
I won't bother delving into too much ‘historical’ information about the place, as all the facts & figures you could want or need are on the Wikipedia page here: City of Southampton Wikipedia Page.

Whenever people ask me to describe what Southampton is like, I always say it’s like a tramp’s dog - it’s a bit scruffy & smelly & it's generally good natured, but occasionally it will bite if you provoke it!

To be fair to the place, it was quite badly bombed by the Joormans during World War II & it wasn't very sympathetically restored afterwards.  As a rough idea, the vast majority of the city centre in Southampton resembles something akin to awful 1960's architecture of Northumberland Street in Newcastle (Useless trivia alert! Did you know that Northumberland Street is the most expensive retail rental location per square foot in the UK outside of Oxford Street in London! I bet you didn't!).  

So, what can be said about Southampton?  Not a lot really!  It's not somewhere people will visit & look back on it being one of the best times of their lives - simply because you won't have the best time of your life here!  It's a bit of a 'meh' of a place really!

It's probably best for me to just stick to the essentials that NUFC fans will need to know: how to get here, hotels, food & drink and a bit about match days here.

How To Get Here - Trains, planes & automobiles!

Trains  

The quickest route (about 5 and a half hours!) from Newcastle Central to Southampton Central is via London.  Trains from London to Southampton are from Waterloo station which is 2 tubes & 25-30 minutes journey time from Kings Cross.  A word of warning though - it won't be cheap!  Expect to pay £100+.

Chances are you will arrive on either platform 3 or 4 at Southampton Central so turn left when you exit the station & you can either walk straight up the hill (about 10 minutes to the main city centre) or there is a taxi rank & bus stop right outside.

Please note that is a good half hour walk directly from the station to St. Mary's Stadium!

Planes

There are direct flights from Newcastle to Southampton with FlyBe.  It's quick (about 50 minutes flying time) & easy to get to & from the city centres at both ends.  As with the trains, flights can get expensive.

Once at Southampton Airport you have 3 choices to get into the city centre:

Taxi  -  Taxi's can be booked with Checker Cars from a booth within the airport terminal.  Just head towards the main exit straight ahead of you after you leave the arrivals hall & the booth is on the right hand side before you go through the exit doors.  It will cost you about £15-20 into the city centre.

Buses  -  Journey time to the city centre is about 35-40 minutes via the Uni-Link service.  The U1C bus service operates between Southampton Airport, Southampton University, the city centre and waterfront. It runs every 15 minutes during the week and every 20 minutes at weekends and public holidays. One bus even has on-board wi-fi internet access! (Whoop-de-do I hear you cry!).  There's also a U1A service in the opposite direction, from city to airport.  It will cost you £2 each way from the airport to the city centre & vice-versa.  The buses pick up & drop off right outside the airport terminal.

 Trains -  It takes about 60 seconds to walk from the airport terminal to Southampton Airport Parkway train station.  Simply turn left when you exit the terminal & the station is right in front of you.  The platform to the city centre is on the airport side of the station, with the platform on the opposite side (over the bridge) heading towards Winchester & London (this is the platform you would arrive on if you get the train back from the city centre to the airport on the way home).

Both South West Trains & Cross Country Trains serve the route to Southampton Central & trains run about every 10-15 minutes or so.  Journey time is about 8-10 minutes & the cost is £3.30 each way.

Automobiles

It is probably best to use either sat-nav or the AA Route Planner for your journey.  It's about 320 miles from city centre to city centre (NE1 to SO14) & on a good day it should take you about 6 hours with no stops.

Having suffered the monotony of this journey more times than I would like to remember, I would definitely recommend stopping at least once - even twice if you have the time.  

Parking

As with most towns & cities in the UK, the majority of parking is controlled by the local council & is plentiful - but isn't cheap.  As for the NCP parking, we all know you need to re-mortgage your house to use one!

The Southampton City Council guide to parking is here

The independent Parkopedia guide to parking in Southampton is here

As for free parking then there are really only two choices - the Hill Lane area of town not far from Southampton Central Station, and the Woolston area on the opposite side of the Itchen Bridge.  

The best way of deciding which to use is dependent on your pre & post match ritual.  If you are going straight to & from the game, then Woolston is probably your best bet.  Street parking is available & it is approximately a 20-25 minute walk to St Mary's Stadium over the Itchen Bridge.  The city centre is a further 15-20 minute walk from the ground.

If you are heading into town before &/or after the match, then the side streets off Hill Lane would be a better choice.  The city centre is a 20-25 minute walk from here, with the ground being a further 15-20 minute walk from the city centre.

Please note:  If you are using street parking, make an effort to take note of any signs referring to permits for the area, as they may be in force in certain locations.

Also, if you are planning to drive over the Itchen Bridge, there is a toll for doing so.  On Sundays this is 50p for cars.

Park & Ride  There is a Park & Ride facility in use just off junction 8 of the M27 and costs £8 per vehicle.  It is clearly signposted from the motorway & is located opposite a large Tesco.  It opens 2 hours before kick-off and the journey to the ground takes about 15 minutes.  Be warned though, it is very rarely used by home supporters and they have been known to close it if there aren't enough people using it.  

If you a driving into Southampton City Centre, please note that the streets around the ground are closed for an hour or two before & after the game, and traffic can be a nightmare to clear after the final whistle.

Hotels

As is the case in most towns, there is a range of hotels in Southampton.  The usual suspects - Holiday Inn, Premier Inn, Jurys Inn & Travelodge's - are all here, however there are alternatives.  The are a range of B&B's in the Hill Lane are of the town about a 10 minute walk from the train station & 15-20 minutes walk from the city centre.  For the lazy arses among you, buses are plentiful although not particularly cheap.

By far the best value though is the ETAP Hotel on West Quay Retail Park.  Staying on the Saturday night (the 24th) with 1 or 2 in a room is currently £49* - or with 3 in a room £54* in total.  Staying on the Sunday night (the 25th) with 1 or 2 in a room is currently £35* - or with 3 in a room £40* in total.  (*Prices correct at the time of writing & do not include breakfast).

The hotel is only a 10 minutes walk to the main city centre & there is a 24 hour McDonalds right next door!

Eating

All the major branded fast food outlets are here so I don't really need to mention those.  However, with the exception of the 24 hour McDonalds at West Quay Retail Park, they all close fairly early (around 10pm-ish) - even on the weekends!

For other fast food outlets, you're best heading to Bedford Place which is a street filled with kebaberies, pizzerias, Indians, Chinese's & other general post-pub greasy goodness with tastes & budgets to suit everyone - it just depends what you fancy, how drunk you are & how much you want to spend!  My own personal top 3 'proper' restaurants in the city centre would be:

Ranchos Steakhouse  -  The High Street.  Brilliant steaks, ribs & other meaty goodness - although it can be pricey depending on what you have. Expect to pay about £30 per person (not including drinks) although the quality is very good. 

Coriander Lounge  -  The High Street.  Probably the best Indian in Southampton.  Again, not cheap at about £25+ per person (not including drinks) but it's well worth the money.

Turtle Bay  -  Guildhall Square.  A fantastic Caribbean restaurant which has only been open about a year but is already very popular.  Pay about £15 for 2 courses & £20 for 3 (not including drinks).  Has the bonus of having Red Stripe on tap!

There is also a food court on the top floor of the West Quay shopping centre which is home to Costa Coffee, Harry Ramsden's, KFC, Krispy Kreme, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Pret A Manger, Starbucks, Yo! Sushi & yes, there's even a Nando's (but don't expect to get a mobile phone signal nor 3G or Wi-Fi in there!).

Drinking*

(*Please note:  This isn't a definitive guide to all the pubs in Southampton city centre - just my opinion of the main ones).
 
Now we're talking!  I'm not going to pull any punches here - Southampton is a pretty crap night out if I'm honest.  The city is home to a lot of students & most places in the city bend over backwards to accommodate them & sod the rest of the people who live here.  The best part of town to head to is the Bedford Place area.

Revolution is located on the corner of Bedford Place & Carlton Place.  I don't need to go into details as you'll know what to expect.  Don't expect the setting to be anywhere near as nice as the one in Newcastle though!

Just round the corner on Carlton Place are The Pensioners Arms (no jokes please!), The Cricketers & Seymours.  All these places are canny small so get busy - but it's well worth a visit to them as they're lively & have a decent selection of drinks available.  

90 Degrees at Carlton's is over the road from the Pensioners & the Cricketers & is where the (supposedly) good & the great of Southampton go.  That means stuck up lasses wearing too much make-up supping over-priced cocktails bought by blokes giving it the Bertie Big Bollocks with their spiky haircuts & jeans halfway around their arses.  Best avoided.

Next door to 90 Degrees is Pop World (formerly Reflex).  The 80s nightclub.  Does what it says on the tin!  Normally a canny good night out in here to be honest - not least because @PikeyNUFC is barred from here (amongst other places)!

Around the corner on Vernon Walk is Orange Rooms & Buddha Lounge.  Much of a muchness like most 'trendy' bars these days.  DJs playing awful dance music too loud & overpriced drinks are the order of the day, they get busy with young 'trendies' (or so they like to think!) on weekends.

Just along from here is the Avondale which ok - if cheap-ish scruffy student pubs are your thing.  Round the corner on London Road is Varsity which is a Yates's/Wetherspoon type place.  Ok, but not bad.  Decent grub if you're hungry.  At the other end of London Road is the Giddy Bridge - a Wetherspoons.  

Just a minute's walk from Varsity though is a gem of a pub called The Alexandra Beer Emporium.  A quirky little pub where none of the tables & chairs match, the male bar staff have wispy facial hair & the female bar staff tend to favour piercings.  A great choice of drinks (my favourite Heineken on tap!) and some weird & wonderful bits & bobs of movie and music memorabilia dotted around the place.  A pool table & a big beer garden completes the picture.  One of my favourite pubs in Southampton!

Heading into town, Above Bar is home to the usual sticky-floored fight-fest known as Yates's.  2-floors of chavs & under-dressed fat birds.....  Probably not unlike the Yates's in every town in the country!  It has a capacity of approx. 400-500 & has been deemed as the designated NUFC away pub by Southampton Police.  Chances are, match tickets will be checked by bouncers on the door to ensure away fans only are admitted.  Similarly, other pubs in the city are known to check tickets to ensure that only HOME fans gain entry - so don't be surprised if you are refused entry elsewhere.  It is approximately a 20 minute walk to St. Mary's Stadium from here, so when the time hits 2:30pm, resist the urge for another quick pint or else risk missing the kick-off!  There is a taxi rank opposite Yates's & it will take about 5-10 minutes to get near to the ground (most of the roads around the ground are closed on match days so you won't get dropped right outside) and it shouldn't cost much more than £5-6.

The over-priced Slug & Lettuce and Que Pasa are a couple of doors down from Yates's.  Further down on the High Street is Wahoo*.  It used to be a Walkabout pub & nothing much has changed aside from the name.  That means crap beer in plastic glasses served as slowly as possible by people who look like they've just won a 'face like a slapped arse' competition. (*I have since been told that Wahoo has closed down. It's no loss!)

Over the road from Wahoo is a little bar called Oasis.  It's ok-ish & has DJs at the weekend.  Next door to this is For Your Eyes Only.  Just saying!  I take no responsibility for however you choose to use this information!

Out of town is the pub I work in - & which is also my local watering hole - The Swan.  It is located on Portsmouth Road in Woolston approx. 2 miles from St. Mary's Stadium.  The number 3, 4, 5 and 6 buses run between the city centre & the pub taking 10-15 minutes each way & costing about £3 return.  Sholing train station is a 3 minute walk away & trains run from Southampton Central at 44 minutes past the hour every hour, and return at 22 minutes past the hour every hour costing £3.70 return and taking about 15 minutes.

I've drunk in a great many pubs in my time, & The Swan is almost unique in the mix of people that drink there harmoniously!  It is known locally as a bikers pub, but that is really only on a weekend & depending on which band is playing.  Having said that, the bikers that come in (mostly on a Sunday afternoon) are a top bunch of lads who would give you their last £1 coin.  There are people from every walk of life, not just mixing together but getting on together too creating a friendly and relaxed-yet-lively atmosphere and there is always banter flying about between the customers - and the staff...!!

On draught there is McEwans Cold Lager (£3), Fosters (£3.30), Kronenbourg (£3.65), John Smith's (£3.25), Strongbow (£3.50), Guinness (£3.60) and 2 real ales (changeable - although Bombardier and Directors are usually our standard real ales) at £3.45.  Bottles are £3.40 and we stock Heineken, Amstel, Desperados, Smirnoff Ice, WKD, etc - although Newcastle Brown Ale is £3.60!  We also sell all 4 flavours of Bulmers cider at £3.95 per bottle.  Yep, £3.95!  We have the usual pool table, juke box & darts, and live bands on Friday & Saturday nights (9pm-11pm) and Sunday afternoons (usually 4pm-7pm but they play 5pm-8pm when Saints are at home).

Working there is one thing, but I wouldn't drink there too & put my wages back in the till if it wasn't a decent boozer!  NUFC fans are more than welcome to visit all weekend - although I will be on the customer side of the bar the entire time!

Cavorting

In all honesty, I'm not really one for clubbing so I won't bother going into too much detail - if for no other reason that I don't know anything about the clubs in Southampton!

Oceana is the largest nightclub in Southampton and is located at Leisureworld on West Quay Road.  I haven't been there in about 5 years and it has been refurbished since my last visit.  

Their website says "Oceana Southampton nightclub is a multi-room destination venue offering you a number of unsurpassable [sic] experiences over three floors. Every room is styled to reflect iconic destinations from around the world making it one of the largest nightclub capacities in the country!"  Yay.

I mentioned Pop World at Bedford Place earlier, & there is also a Flares-type club on Above Bar Street called Revival.  You know what to expect!  Opposite Revival is a pub/club called Provenance Night Club (formally the Square Balloon).  If the Balloon was anything to go by, it will be crap.  Expect to see local charva's squaring up to each other & tacky hen parties.

At the risk of repeating myself, For Your Eyes Only is located on the High Street.  Again, I am just saying, and I take no responsibility for however you choose to use this information!

Match Day in Southampton!

First of all, if you were to walk through Southampton city centre on a home match day, you would be hard pressed to even know there is a game on!  Honestly, there is hardly any difference between a normal day & a match day.  Sure, a couple of pubs may be a little bit busier before the match, but that's about it!

Southampton FC has a lot of 'scarfers' who go to games.  You know the ones, dad with his young son, sometimes the whole family - all resplendent in the latest home shirt (usually with awful customised shirt printing on the back), a packed lunch & yes, red & white striped scarves.  There are LOADS of this lot around.  I am fairly confident that you won't see more scarfers at an away game all season - maybe with the possible exception of Reading & Norwich.....

Southampton doesn't have a 'firm' as such - although there is a group of 20-somethings calling themselves the "Chandlers Ford Forty" who knock around on a match weekend.  I've only seen them in action personally once, when they battered half a dozen Preston lads sat having lunch in a pub on a Sunday - the day AFTER the game.....

That's not to say that Southampton aren't up for it.  They were quietly notorious back in the day - although they were overshadowed by the more active Portsmouth 657 Crew.  The furthest north they ever really ventured was to Sheffield Wednesday & Middlesbrough (where they reportedly gave a good account of themselves) and they were known to be very well respected by Everton's County Road Cutters in the 1980's after they took their home pub just around the corner from Goodison Park!  Trust me, not many firms were brave enough to even attempt such a thing back then - let alone do it!

It is highly doubtful you will get any trouble off the home support - but as with all away games, that depends on how you behave yourself..!  If you want trouble you will be able to find it, but generally the locals are a peaceful bunch. 

One thing of note about Southampton fans is that they are shamelessly arrogant.  Even when they were in the Championship & Division 1, they had a level of cockyness that would make even a ManYoo fan blush!  No word of a lie, there is a majority of their fans who STILL think they will go on a run & qualify for Europe!  I'm not kidding either!  There are a few decent ones out there, but generally they are arrogant on a level that will leave you speechless!

As with all away days, Southampton will be as good (or as bad!) as you want to make it, & of course, a lot of that depends on the result...!!

If anyone has any questions, needs any advice or fancies a pint while they're down here, give me a shout.  Have a safe journey & a good time!!

'United For Newcastle' Statement

I am more than happy to publish this article on behalf of the Newcastle United supporters group 'United For Newcastle'. These are the views of 'United For Newcastle' & not necessarily my own.

'United For Newcastle' statement following announcement of new stadium plans for 2011/12

United for Newcastle appreciate that a ten-year “price freeze” on season tickets and the introduction of a discount scheme will benefit a lot of Newcastle supporters. In this tough economic climate, fans will be thankful of discounts and price freezes, and as such we welcome this move.

However, alongside the ten-year price freeze, the club have also announced a change to the plans at the stadium, the most-talked about being the changes to Level 7 of the Leazes End, and transforming it into part of an enlarged family area.

United for Newcastle feel that by breaking up the fans in Level 7 of the Leazes End, the hierarchy at the club has shown a significant lack of consideration towards some of the loudest, and most passionate supporters in the stadium. This, alongside the fact that the generally quieter family section will now replace the fans in Level 7, shows just how poorly thought out a decision this is. Let’s not forget it was under Ashley’s ownership that the club announced “the Leazes Corner, is for fans who are willing to sing and generate a generally very noisy atmosphere.” Scrapping this 'singing corner' will, we believe, be of detrimental effect to the atmosphere within St. James Park.

United for Newcastle also ask where fans from Level 7 will be expected to go? Will the club suggest a new location for the ‘singing section’, where all fans are also happy to stand during matches? We understand there are no plans to relocate the singing section. We ask why? These are questions fans are asking, and want answers for.

The new plans also include the proposal for the away support allocation to increase from 2,800 to 4,000 seats. Just how many clubs visiting St James’ sell out their current allocation, let alone 4,000 tickets? Considering that it is only in crunch-ties and against large clubs that the away allocation seems to sell out, United for Newcastle are concerned that allowing fewer Newcastle fans into the stadium in these important matches will have a detrimental impact on the players on the pitch, who rely on the fans' fantastic support.

United for Newcastle will thus write an open letter to the club and local journalists urging talks between the administration at Newcastle United and supporters, particularly those who will lose their seats in the Level 7 section of the Leazes End. We hope that the club will match our expectations by - if not reconsidering the move - to suggest a suitable replacement for the singing section (with some already suggesting Level 4 of the Leazes End as a possible replacement).

This is an issue that we hope can be solved quickly and efficiently for the benefit of the both the club and its supporters.

An Open Letter To Mike Ashley.....

Dear Mr Ashley,

You just can't help yourself can you? With today's announcement about the 2011/2012 season tickets, you have once again taken a seemingly (on first glance) good idea & instead of actually doing something positive for the fans of OUR football club (it is not now, nor will it ever be YOUR 'business'), you have instead alienated those who turn up week in & week out to support OUR team.

By trying your utmost to split up the Leazes Level 7 singing corner (which is the only single good idea you have had during your time at the club), and thereby thinking you will put an end to the songs & protests about you, you are sadly mistaken. Indeed, what you have done instead is to give us renewed impetus in our efforts to make our voices heard, and we will turn up both the volume and the heat on you until we rid you from our club & our city.

No matter what you (try to) do, you will NOT stop me going to St. James' Park and supporting my team. You will NOT stop me travelling the country to give support to the club I have followed proudly for more than 30 years. You will NOT quieten my, or others, protests against you. You will NOT silence us, and you will NOT dampen our passion or our spirit - both FOR our team or AGAINST you & your regime.

"Freedom is given, speak how you feel. I have no freedom, how do you feel? They can lie to my face, but not to my heart. If we all stand together, it will just be the start. If the kids are united then we'll never be divided....."

Yours,

@WeAreTheMags - NUFC for life - loyal & proud.

Does Money Talk Or Is Talk Cheap? How The FA Could Make Life Easier & Cheaper For Football Fans

How many times have you tried to arrange a trip to watch a football game, but can’t do so until maybe a week - maybe two if you’re lucky - beforehand, only to find that the prices for train fares, flights, hotels & the like are astronomical? Or even worse, the fixture gets moved so it can be aired on TV, thereby meaning you have to change any plans you have already made at yet further personal expense? Lets face it, it’s a pain in the arse, yet there is a simple solution to this problem…..

First of all, lets look at those who ‘run’ the game of football in the UK - more specifically England. To start with, you may think that the running of the game falls to a select few organisations - namely the Football Association, the Premier League and the Football League - but you would be wrong.

Also in the mix are other organisations, such as the Chairmen of both the Premier League and the Football League -who’s regular meetings are always held ’behind closed doors‘, like some secret society. (To see how the Premier League is run, see their own description here). Then there are the League Manager’s Association, the Professional Footballer’s Association and the Referee‘s Association. Then you have to include the TV companies: Sky, ESPN and less so (namely for the FA and Carling Cups), ITV and the BBC.

In short, there are an awful lot of people who make decisions on the game that directly involve those who the game is really for - no, not the corporate sponsors! - I’m talking about the fans. You & me. The people who buy the match tickets, the shirts (& other cheap tat from club shops) and who subscribe to the satellite channels, & yet those who run football seem intent on making life as difficult - and more importantly expensive - as possible for us fans to follow our teams.

Allow me to explain. The first fixtures scheduled for airing live on TV at the start of the season are generally announced 2 months or so in advance. This gives supporters fixed dates by which to make travel arrangements in plenty of time in order to see their teams away from home (or even AT home for those who now live away). However there are always spare slots left open for fixtures to be moved at short notice (Newcastle United v Sunderland at St James‘ Park earlier this season being one of those) and, especially at this ‘business end’ and ‘squeaky bum’ time of the season, the TV companies are only required to give the FA, Premier and Football Leagues, and indeed the clubs themselves, a mere 30 days notice that they wish to move games for live broadcast - throwing the travel plans for thousands of supporters into nothing short of chaos.

To cite an example of this, is Sky TV’s decision in 2008 to move Newcastle United's longest away game of the season at Portsmouth (682 miles round-trip) from Saturday 13th December to Sunday 14th December with a 1:30pm kick-off time. This was done with only the minimum allowable notice of just 30 days. So, to hell with all those Newcastle fans who had already booked planes, trains and automobiles, let alone hotels, all done at great expense and using time-consuming effort from fans to not just make their own bookings, but also to get numbers, prices, money & promises for group trips…..

To be honest, the contempt shown for supporters is normally aimed at over-paid, namby-pamby, heartless, gutless players, and wayward owners. Yet in actual fact, it should also be levied at not just the TV companies who see fit to do as they damn well please with blatant disregard for the fans, but also the clubs, the Premier League & the FA for allowing it to happen. I know things get interesting around this time of year and the completion for league titles, Europe and relegation begin to hot up, but surely, surely, it wouldn’t be too difficult for them to choose what games they wish to show live well in advance.

So much so, that if the FA and Premier League had any sort of backbone whatsoever, the TV contracts would contain a simple clause stating “should you (the TV companies) wish to move the date & time for any fixture, this must be done with a minimum of 60 days (or even better, 90 days for that matter) notice”. Should that clause ever be inserted into the TV contracts, the clubs themselves should also be forced to sign a charter stating that “all clubs must make details of tickets for forthcoming fixtures available to supporters no less than 60 (or 90 depending on the above) days in advance, and inform fans as to their obtaining of tickets for said fixtures no less than 45 (or 60) days in advance of the fixture date”.

These simple measures would ensure that we supporters would be able to make travel plans far enough in advance to take advantage of discounted fares and special deals, thus helping to keep our already high expenses to a minimum. Lets face it, the cost of going to home games, let alone away games, is high enough as it is - what with season ticket prices, busses, food & drink, etc. - so the very least they could do is to help us out a little bit.

The newly announced FA Chairman, David Bernstein, stated in his very first press-release that he would listen to the thoughts and ideas of those people who make the game what it is - the fans - and would put practices in place so that we are treated fairly at all times. Now is the time for him to put his words into action and see if he really means what he says, or if - like all the FA Chairmen before him - he’s only interested in pandering to the money men hell bent on lining their own pockets, without giving 2 seconds thought to the supporters.

Football fans don’t ask for much these days, but being treated respectfully, fairly and with our finances in mind, it would go a long way to making our life just a little bit easier. It speaks volumes for the current state of our game when a gesture so simple & small would make such a big difference.

Scott Sellars Tribute Song!

This is dedicated to @NorthernJam @nufcfans and @Eaststand65

To the tune of 'The Blaydon Races'.....

T'was on the 25th of April in 1993,
that 30,000 & the rest did go along to see,
the mackems & their crappy team get egg upon their faces,
while aal the Geordies took the piss & sang the Blaydon Races!

Oh me lads, the mackems got a hiding,
& down into Division 2 is where the twats are sliding,
it's great to see the Roker shite get put back in their places,
while aal the Geordies tek the piss & sing the Blaydon Races!

The night before the rain came down like Britain's own monsoon,
the ref said "aye we play the game, me money's on the Toon",
the game kicked off amidst the rain the Toon were soon attacking,
it poured & poured 'cos Christ our Lord was pissing on the mackems!

Oh me lads, the mackems got a hiding
& down into Division 2 is where the twats are sliding,
it's great to see the Roker shite get put back in their places,
while aal the Geordies tek the piss & sing the Blaydon Races!

The rain came down some more & more, the Toon fans were so loud,
So Butcher tried to alter that by hoofing the ball in the crowd,
& then we won a great free-kick from which we'd make the most,
as Sellars scored the winning goal assisted by the post!

Oh me lads, the mackems got a hiding
& down into Division 2 is where the twats are sliding,
it's great to see the Roker shite get put back in their places,
while aal the Geordies tek the piss & sing the Blaydon Races!

The song does continue but I was too pissed to remember any more of it!