Report in Tripe newspaper today states that Douglas Hall erstwhile son of Sir John Hall is to become Chairman of NUFC......

In the words of the old song "Say it isnt so

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2002

Answers

Deed poll my man...Derek Darkside?

;7)

Agreed :-(

How are you stranger, you do know how to email?

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2002

I thought he was desperately trying to get rid of his shares! I worry that he will run the club into the ground to compensate for the recent failures of Cameron Hall. His lack of business sense is clear. This is bad news.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

It is indeed worrying Linda. The Sun actually report that the club will make a statement to the stock exchange this morning stating it will revert to private ownership. Douggie will become chairman with Fred getting an unspecified senior position. Hall Junior clearly has none of his fathers business acumen and even if he doesn't pursue an assett stripping agenda the fact that he would be be in day to day charge of the club leaves me horrified.

I did try to acces The Sun's website to paste the story in but our web filter at work classified it as an "Alternative Journal" rather than a newspaper and denied me access!! Good to see someone viewing this rag for what it is.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

SUN CUT n PASTE

DOUGLAS HALL will take control of Newcastle today after a long- running takeover battle.

The deal will be announced this morning to the London Stock Exchange, which will confirm the club is returning to private ownership.

The takeover is expected to reveal a senior position for chairman Freddy Shepherd - who is also a significant shareholder in the club.

But the move is certain to spark controversy as it will mean the two men involved in the Toongate scandal in 1998 - the year after the club floated on the Stock Exchange - are back in charge.

The duo caused outrage when they mocked fans, bragged about sex romps, insulted local girls and boasted they fooled Manchester United over Andy Cole's transfer.

That row forced them to quit the board but they were back just four months later.

Now Hall, son of former chairman Sir John, and Shepherd are again in full control.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

As fans I'm not sure we need to be any more concerned than we should have been already over this guys influence. As THE major shareholder since SJH's exit, I believe DH has been the power behind the throne anyway. Indeed David Stonehouse told me before he 'resigned' that DH was heavily involved in day-to-day decision-making, irrespective of where his residence happened to be at any given time.

For shareholders, the move back into private ownership - if confirmed - will simply complete and formalise the process of financial rape.

Having presided over the gradual destruction in shareholder equity - including the awarding to himself of millions of pounds of utterly inappropriate dividends - he will presumably now be offering a mere fraction of the flotation price for the outstanding shares.

Local hero - my @rse!

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

You canNOT be sirius.

Three steps forward, ten steps back.

If I wasn't 100% sure it would blow up in my face, I'd cancel my ST renewal, and, because I won't, I'm also 100% sure, come the end of next season, I'll wish I had.

I now firmly believe we'll get nowhere at all in Europe, do nowt in next season's prem and be lucky if Bobby's still here at the start.

Bellamy, Robert, Dyer and Jenas, at the veryleast, will be shown the door in the interests of quick profit, and the gates will be halved.

This is a sad, sad day, lads and lasses. All of the good work done over the last season or so is for nothing, now that that scraping of the bilge of a slave ship has oozed it's way back into control.

FUCKING OBNOXIOUS FUCKING SLIMY FUCKING DISGUSTING FUCKING FUCKPIG.

Other than that, everything's hunky dory. Unless of course, that phrase was in the same slave boat as nitty gritty, and I'm now going to be censured not just for the obscenities (heartfelt though they might be), but also for offending certain other sensibilites.

Thank god I'm going on holiday Friday, and the back wash of this travesty will have to be hunted out third or fourth hand.

Enjoy. :-(((<(((

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

Will you listen to me, man - this changes nowt!

DH has been the major shareholder since his father quit: he has been able to do whatever he wants, and indeed he has.

This company has been 'public' in name only, Hall and Shepherd have run it like a private company, so in real terms this move is simply a shuffling of the deck-chairs. Let's just hope the deck-chairs in question aren't on the deck of the Titanic!

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

11:07am - no Press Release has been issued as yet.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

In the past, managment's actions could have and did result in the share price plummeting. Since the shares were collateral for other business interests, DH even as major shareholder, needed to try and show some restraint (or perhaps he didn't?). If private, DH will be free to bleed nufc dry without any adverse effects to his other business interests. Possibly.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

Sack the board, sack the board, sack the board

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

Peter - if you believe "exercising restraint" was paying increased dividends when the Club was massively loss making, and throughout a period when the shareholders equity was falling through the floor, then we do indeed need to be worried, very worried, about what he'll do "unrestrained".

Quite frankly, it would be difficult to do any worse, even if he tried really hard.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

Absolutely in agreement Clarky, but I don't half fell better for that little outburst.

And if my e-mail has the effect I think it will, it's been nice knowing you/your lot :-{E}

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

The club began it's great run of success in private ownership and has returned to Premiership elite status as a plc. Of the top clubs I think Liverpool is still privately owned. A great many have been critical of plc status (I always liked the transparency of it) so returning to private ownership is not a bad thing in and of itself, as far as fans are concerned. As a shareholder I'm disappointed, not for any financial loss, but simply for the fact that I will no longer be able to claim any actual ownership of the club, there will be no more AGM's which were always interesting events and I will not be able to inspect the club's finances as openly as at present.

It has been said that a privately owned club can move more quickly in the transfer market. I don't know if that's true, and in the Toon's case I suspect not, in that it has been run as a privately owned outfit for the most part anyway.

So it all comes down to your feelings about Douglas Hall. As you know the Hall family built the club up to it's present elite status, and during SJH's reign Douglas and Freddie were the main executive members of the management team as I understand it. It was in fact DH who pushed for the signing of Shearer, not as good a move as it might have been, with hindsight, due to appalling luck with injuries, but it was a great coup at the time and with better luck could have paid off hugely for us.

We speak in this forum as fans and not shareholders and it is only as a fan that I have a view here. This need not be a bad move for us at all. The only nagging worry is the current state of CHD and whether some underhand deal is afoot to asset strip the club to save that outfit. Personally I would doubt that. I'm certain DH is a fan and we know for sure that Shepherd is. The most money to be made out of this would be to build up the club's status again and refloat the club but football is so out of favour with the stockmarket that seems highly unlikely. Other than that, asset stripping would simply ruin the asset being stripped - I am no richer transferring money from my right to my left pocket - and NUFC is a prize asset which can only earn any money at all by remaining successful.

So, as fans what choice do we have? At this stage, in my view, our only logical stance is to back the management team which has presided over our return to the CL. DH holds all the cards shares and it would make no sense to my way of thinking to attempt to run him out of Toon. Give him the benefit of the doubt - surely he wishes to make NUFC successful - what logic would there be in any other approach? (That is NOT a rhetorical question).

Of course the old Toongate affair is being wheeled out again and I'm appalled by that. It was a very trivial story anyway in a rag which no person of intelligence reads (if you taped all my conversations and then carefully selected from them - you could demonstrate my racism, misogyny, and any other damned lie you wanted to) - it was total bollux and anyone who thinks otherwise is not thinking straight. But then to keep going on about this years later is getting ridiculous - I'm sure convicted murderers get a better deal than this. It's over - move on - don't let the odious tabloids set the agenda otherwise you play right into their grubby hands.

We have to go with, and back, whatever we have. I have faith in The Good Shepherd and I'm prepared to give DH a chance to show what he can do. My opposition to this arrangement will not stop it but will be counterproductive to the progress of NUFC. YBR is a man we can trust and if he starts bitching about lack of funds during the close season then we might have serious cause for concern. I really don't believe that will happen. Forget CHD, forget losses made by shareholders (in almost every football plc in the land) forget Toongate - ALL that matters to us, is the Toon competing at the top, and if DH continues to deliver that, then I will have no complaints.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

According to a very recent posting from Niall and Biffa's site this has been announced in the Stock Exchange today. "Newcastle United today announces the resignation of John Fender as non-executive Chairman and director of Newcastle United PLC. John Fender's appointment was due to expire at the end of May.

"Freddy Shepherd, Chairman of Newcastle United Football Club, will adopt the role as Chairman of Newcastle United PLC until a PLC Chairman is appointed.

"Freddy Shepherd commented:

"'I would like to thank John Fender, on behalf of the Board, for his contribution and hard work over the years and wish him well in the future.'"

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

Douglas Hall erstwhile son of Sir John Hall

Is DH now no longer the son of SJH then? Has he been disowned?

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

Is DH now no longer the son of SJH then? Has he been disowned?

He should have been if Sir John has any sense.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

Jonno you have the biggest brightest black and white eyes I've ever known

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

"We speak in this forum as fans and not shareholders.....".

You may elect to speak on this forum Jonno as a fan and not a shareholder; I will continue to post on this NUFC forum as a fan, season ticket holder, and shareholder - unless it is the wishes of the majority that I desist.

For fans to think the financial management of the Club is not relevant or important to it's well-being and future success, or otherwise, is just plain naive. That is why imho the performance of it major shareholders in managing the business is important, and important to pass comment on. Can my comments exert any influence over their performance? Sadly not - but that doesn't stop us commenting on the team's performance.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

It is very difficult as an outsider to assess the performance of John Fender in his role as Chairman of the plc. However, his performance at the last AGM was the most professional I have seen from any Director of NUFC.

That AGM was by far the best organised of those I've attended, and for once Fender managed to avoid the sense that it was all a total waste of time and simply something they just had to go through, ie suffer. For once, he tried to convey the feeling the views of the club's shareholders actually meant something to it's Directors.

Fender appeared to be a good professional, and I regret his resignation. IMO Freddie Shepherd is entirely unsuitable as a plc Chairman - however, it looks to me as though this is simply clearing the decks for the Club to finally be taken private again.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

I don't care who has the majority of the shares unless it affects the performance of the team on the field. I don't want to keep harping on about Toongate and never honestly give it a second thought. I have nothing against FS who I believe to be, if nothing else, a genuine fan with the best interests of the club at heart.

But that racist, junky little shitbag Hall CANNOT be allowed to speak for NUFC ANYWHERE under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. He shouldn't even be allowed within the city of Newcastle. And not because of 'Toongate', just because he's a despicable fucking winnet, clinging onto the arse- hairs of our beloved club.

He can have all the shares he wants as long as he stays in Marbella or Gibralta or wherever he is and has his mouth sewn shut.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

Unfortunately DH's track record speaks for itself. The man's an idiot of the first order. A very lucky idiot with a very rich daddy. God help us.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

ALL that matters to us, is the Toon competing at the top, and if DH continues to deliver that, then I will have no complaints.

Well I must accept the charge of naivety against me as I have always been a very naive person and highly unlikely to change. :-) But I do find the reaction to this simple conclusion of mine very strange. Isn't the Toon competing at the top all that matters to us? People are certainly entitled to criticise Hall and entitled to doubt his ability to do the job. As he is the man in charge I'll stubbornly support him till I have evidence to convince me otherwise, the policy I adopt with all Toon employees. Much the same strategy as I employed with regard to the board last close season when it was thought that the club weren't going to release cash for players.

And the same strategy which guaranteed my automatic support of Craig Bellamy last Summer.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

and Andersseon and Maric and Des Hamilton and .... :0)

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2002

.......and Fazackerley, and Dalglish, and Gullit, and Perez, and Marcelino, and Dumas, and Alan Irvine, and Gary Caldwell, and ..............

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2002

I'll stubbornly support him till I have evidence to convince me otherwise

Note the bit in bold. It seems you didn't notice it first time. Did people NOT support the likes of Hamilton, Maric etc when they first arrived? I have withdrawn my support from a number of Toon employess before now, notably TSM, McKeag, Westwood and Seymour.

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2002

Jonno, I can see why you wouldn't like the first three, but Seymour? What's Loony Toon done to upset you :-)

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2002

Yeh, a good point Terry - and well made too. I'd been wondering where me bithday card had got to from Jonno last year !!

Quite an honour to be placed in the same sentence as that pirate b@st@rd ...

;oD

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2002

(and in case of any confusion, I wasn't referring to Jonno in that last sentence !

I don't think he even has a parrot ... )

;op

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2002

Nah Jonno I think your removal of support for ex Newcastle players/staff always happened just after they were transfered away or were sacked !

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2002

The voodoo doll I had made of Stan Seymour was following the first million pound transfers in English football. Seymour came out with the outrageous statement that Newcastle would never pay £1m for a player as we could not compete with the likes of Liverpool and Man Utd, entirely oblivious to the fact that Notts Forest was the first club to pay £1m, and also oblivious to the thousands coming into SJP every week. Lack of vision or what?

I think your removal of support for ex Newcastle players/staff always happened just after they were transfered away or were sacked !

Have my criticisms of Elliot not been noted this season then? Does the record not show that my criticism of TSM preceded his resignation? (Notwithstanding the crticism, naturally I will support Elliot whever he turns out for Newcastle as I sincerely hope and believe you do too.)

Let me return you to the central axiom of my argument, before it was so trivialised by the mention of Maric, Perez, etc. I said :-

ALL that matters to us, is the Toon competing at the top, and if DH continues to deliver that, then I will have no complaints.

Now I fail to see what is wrong with that. I can't imagine that a single one of you could take issue with it. What you MAY well wish to take issue with, is whether DH is able to deliver a top Toon team, and I'd be interested to read why you think that is so (I am ALWAYS very interested in having my views challenged - but get mighty frustrated when a smart-arse one-liner takes the p1ss with no attempt to address the substantive point I have made).

DH has been vilified by a good many in this thread without a single one of his attackers offering any evidence for their condemnation. What can he do wrong? Well - siphoning off money to help CHD might be seen as a danger but I refer you back to the question I posed on that (which no-one saw fit to attempt to answer).

surely he wishes to make NUFC successful - what logic would there be in any other approach?

Anyway - I may not be around to see the replies on this as I am about to take a break from BBS matters, so I'll just leave it with you to mull over or mock as you see fit. :-)

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2002

Jonno - firstly let me say that I personally have no problem with your support for NUFC management. Your support is based very much on supporting them until their football-related actions convince you otherwise, and there is nothing wrong with that.

You will hopefully have noticed that I personally try to restrict my comments to the actions/motivations of our Senior Directors, and try to avoid vague personal attacks on them.

Funnily enough, and despite what has actually happened over recent years, I am not all that concerned about DH siphoning off cash from NUFC into CHD - I suspect that particular situation will take care of itself. I tend to agree with you that, like FS, DH is a Toon fan, and I actually have more concerns that he will take injudicious financial risks with the business to drive for playing success. I think it is in his nature to take undue risks in the aggressive pursuit of success - even if it ultimately resulted in bankrupting the Club. In the meantime, it could of course be a heady ride!

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2002

Jonno, let me apologise if anything I have written has offended you. I say this because I have a history of dropping a one liner then disappearing.

Most of them are done tongue firmly in cheek or to lighten what I see as a potentially drab or pointless arguement. I too struggle to not lambast anyone, I cannot remember any comments I have made in a general way which was aimed at anyone other than about specific incidents. Clarky may beg to differ as on one occassion he thought some of my comments were directed to him (they weren't, but I apologised.)

I joined in the abuse on said directors over what they had said in "THAT" incident. I even stated on one thread my displeasure at some people wanting Al Kaleej hacked down by Pearse or Al in the Le Tiss match.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2002