The Newcastle Takeover

Came across this article from a Newcastle United fan after his visit to watch his club against Manchester City yesterday.


Take a second. Maybe take five. Stare at your own reflection. Pause. Ponder long. Ponder hard. What is it you want from a football club? Like, really, what does your ticker aspire to?

Not just what does the fuzzy, somewhat naive, glory-chasing version of yourself crave. What do you – the innocent child who fell daftly in love with an idea, a smell, the notion of something wonderfully hopeless – chase?

If, truly, being the “next Manchester City” is your dream, best of British, doff of the half and half beanie to you.

For me, Clive? No, ta. I genuinely pity the real City supporters, the 30,000 odd who packed Maine Road in the English third tier. They must despair.

Their reality now? Condemned to a lifetime spent surrounded by plastic bag clutching, artificial support.

true-faith.co.uk

TF Match Report - Manchester City 2-0 Newcastle Utd (FA Cup QF) - True Faith

Sam Dalling was at the Etihad for TF to witness a defeat as predictable as it was disappointing. What he saw was a glimpse into our possible football future. He didn’t enjoy it. *** Doubts as to what awaits? They dissipate swiftly as the tram rolls into view. Destination “Etihad Campus”. Here’s...
true-faith.co.uk true-faith.co.uk
 
billythekid said:
Came across this article from a Newcastle United fan after his visit to watch his club against Manchester City yesterday.


Take a second. Maybe take five. Stare at your own reflection. Pause. Ponder long. Ponder hard. What is it you want from a football club? Like, really, what does your ticker aspire to?

Not just what does the fuzzy, somewhat naive, glory-chasing version of yourself crave. What do you – the innocent child who fell daftly in love with an idea, a smell, the notion of something wonderfully hopeless – chase?

If, truly, being the “next Manchester City” is your dream, best of British, doff of the half and half beanie to you.

For me, Clive? No, ta. I genuinely pity the real City supporters, the 30,000 odd who packed Maine Road in the English third tier. They must despair.

Their reality now? Condemned to a lifetime spent surrounded by plastic bag clutching, artificial support.

true-faith.co.uk

TF Match Report - Manchester City 2-0 Newcastle Utd (FA Cup QF) - True Faith

Sam Dalling was at the Etihad for TF to witness a defeat as predictable as it was disappointing. What he saw was a glimpse into our possible football future. He didn’t enjoy it. *** Doubts as to what awaits? They dissipate swiftly as the tram rolls into view. Destination “Etihad Campus”. Here’s...
true-faith.co.uk true-faith.co.uk
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Spot on imo.

Dichotomy that comes with wanting to be successful and becoming a monster at the same time.

ultimately would love us to reach the very top, but I know that if it were to open happen we'd have sold our soul and become unrecognisable (In good and bad way) during the process.

I would be really happy of course, but there'd be a twinge of embarrassment/shame accompanying that as I look around the stadium and soak up the matchday experience and facade/circus show.

As @New Old Cherry would say, too much of celeb/hollywood vibe and newer gens perhaps buy into that more than older fans. I'd find it almost stomach churning as players families, kids, pets etc wander on with fireworks, pop music blasting out over the speakers.

A little like when we started our ascent under Eddie, and when people would ask me how I supported, I'd say us, then felt need to justify/give spiel around how I've had season ticket for decades, go to awsy games etc.

Then realised I sounded like a tit justifying myself (even more so than usual), so rarely bother any more.

Game has changed a lot compared to 2 decades ago. Can't imagine having those concerns back then.
 
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billythekid said:
Came across this article from a Newcastle United fan after his visit to watch his club against Manchester City yesterday.


Take a second. Maybe take five. Stare at your own reflection. Pause. Ponder long. Ponder hard. What is it you want from a football club? Like, really, what does your ticker aspire to?

Not just what does the fuzzy, somewhat naive, glory-chasing version of yourself crave. What do you – the innocent child who fell daftly in love with an idea, a smell, the notion of something wonderfully hopeless – chase?

If, truly, being the “next Manchester City” is your dream, best of British, doff of the half and half beanie to you.

For me, Clive? No, ta. I genuinely pity the real City supporters, the 30,000 odd who packed Maine Road in the English third tier. They must despair.

Their reality now? Condemned to a lifetime spent surrounded by plastic bag clutching, artificial support.

true-faith.co.uk

TF Match Report - Manchester City 2-0 Newcastle Utd (FA Cup QF) - True Faith

Sam Dalling was at the Etihad for TF to witness a defeat as predictable as it was disappointing. What he saw was a glimpse into our possible football future. He didn’t enjoy it. *** Doubts as to what awaits? They dissipate swiftly as the tram rolls into view. Destination “Etihad Campus”. Here’s...
true-faith.co.uk true-faith.co.uk
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That is a fantastic piece and doesn't take (or need) long to make its point.

We'll never be that but yes, there will be more and more frivolous bells and whistles as Foley's reign continues, but we're at least trying to stay in King's Park and that's all that matters to me.
 
Def_II_Royalz said:
That is a fantastic piece and doesn't take (or need) long to make its point.

We'll never be that but yes, there will be more and more frivolous bells and whistles as Foley's reign continues, but we're at least trying to stay in King's Park and that's all that matters to me.
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Dean Court is the home/soul’ of our football club and hopefully will always be its home or very nearby.
 
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Def_II_Royalz said:
there will be more and more frivolous bells and whistles as Foley's reign continues, but we're at least trying to stay in King's Park and that's all that matters to me.
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Ultimately that’s it in a nutshell, they’ll be debates and arguments over capacity, over design, over safe standing, over the food on offer... But there are two key things; that we are in our home of kings park and people can watch their team and be proud of something that represents our area.
 
DJ said:
Ultimately that’s it in a nutshell, they’ll be debates and arguments over capacity, over design, over safe standing, over the food on offer... But there are two key things that we are in out home of kings park and people can watch their team and be proud of something that represents our area.
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This is why I'm perhaps more accepting than I otherwise would be about price increases, gimmicks, hospitality, etc. if the guy is going to transform the club and still manage to keep us in kings park then I think those things are a small price to pay.
 
SlowDownDerek said:
This is why I'm perhaps more accepting than I otherwise would be about price increases, gimmicks, hospitality, etc. if the guy is going to transform the club and still manage to keep us in kings park then I think those things are a small price to pay.
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To a point, there’s not a lot of point in having a new stadium if those willing to fill it week in week out can’t afford to do so. :)

But I think they’ve done their price adjustments to concessions and price hike now anyway, I can’t see them doing something similar to last summer this summer and so on and so on.

They saw a need of adjustment and they did it. I know this is a leap, but to go back to previous discussions, their supposed concession adjustments or trying to push out “the old boys”, I don’t buy it. They want to increase those wanting to attend in all demographics.
 
DJ said:
To a point, there’s not a lot of point in having a new stadium if those willing to fill it week in week out can’t afford to do so. :)

But I think they’ve done their price adjustments to concessions and price hike now anyway, I can’t see them doing something similar to last summer this summer and so on and so on.

They saw a need of adjustment and they did it. I know this is a leap, but to go back to previous discussions, their supposed concession adjustments or trying to push out “the old boys”, I don’t buy it. They want to increase those wanting to attend in all demographics.
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True, but I do think that anyone who has banged on about wanting the owners to build a new ground for ages has to accept they will be expected to pay their share - one increase in eight years is reasonable imo. I think another one when we can see proper progress may be too. I wonder if we'll see some shiny stadium plans shortly before next year's prices come out b

The one worry I have is that they've done their sums and they figure that maintaining a limited supply of tickets is the key to maximising the corporate income. So the smaller than we'd like capacity is partly as a result of the desire to keep tickets scarce but in a ground more suited to selling 15% to corporate bods.

This might mean the extra 4k seats that the designs supposedly allow for never happen. That's when I and I suspect many others will start to lose patience with the owners and certainly won't take kindly to price increases under those circumstances.
 
SlowDownDerek said:
True, but I do think that anyone who has banged on about wanting the owners to build a new ground for ages has to accept they will be expected to pay their share - one increase in eight years is reasonable imo. I think another one when we can see proper progress may be too. I wonder if we'll see some shiny stadium plans shortly before next year's prices come out b

The one worry I have is that they've done their sums and they figure that maintaining a limited supply of tickets is the key to maximising the corporate income. So the smaller than we'd like capacity is partly as a result of the desire to keep tickets scarce but in a ground more suited to selling 15% to corporate bods.

This might mean the extra 4k seats that the designs supposedly allow for never happen. That's when I and I suspect many others will start to lose patience with the owners and certainly won't take kindly to price increases under those circumstances.
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I also fear that the ROI figures[*] rely on limited supply of regular tickets.

[*] When they've calculated the cost per seat, hypothetically they've worked out they could charge £1-3k per season ticket and still sell out 18k but would need to charge £500-£1500 to sell out a 35k meaning it would take lets says another 5 years to break even.
 
Kudos said:
I also fear that the ROI figures[*] rely on limited supply of regular tickets.

[*] When they've calculated the cost per seat, hypothetically they've worked out they could charge £1-3k per season ticket and still sell out 18k but would need to charge £500-£1500 to sell out a 35k meaning it would take lets says another 5 years to break even.
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It is a worry. From a regular supporter's perspective though I think beggars can't be choosers and in the absence of a bloke like Tony Bloom who is basically a supporter spending his money then this current lot are as good as we're going to get.

Hopefully the ground is designed properly with genuine expansion for relatively cheap in mind. Not just the 4k suggested but beyond that. Maybe then if there is sufficient demand price per seat of expansion will make it viable at that point. We'd still be better off sat in a new 18k ground in KP anyway.
 
It'll be no good putting up a Stadium holding less than 25,000, (18,000) which has been rumoured.
That would still have us in Tinpot and Ridicule Territory...no bigger than Port Vale and a lot smaller than non-club Milton Keynes Dons (30,000).
Mod Cherries fans need to start engaging grey matter...dyo know what ah mean bruvs?
We even had a capacity of 28 twatting 000 in the old 180° turned and trashed Dean Court ! F√ck.
 
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New Old Cherry said:
It'll be no good putting up a Stadium holding less than 25,000, (18,000) which has been rumoured.
That would still have us in Tinpot and Ridicule Territory...no bigger than Port Vale and a lot smaller than non-club Milton Keynes Dons (30,000).
Mod Cherries fans need to start engaging grey matter...dyo know what ah mean bruv?
We even had a capacity of 28 twatting 000 in the old 180° turned and trashed Dean Court ! F√ck.
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Yes, should be 25k too imo, with room to expand to 30- 40k odd and more once we become regulars in Europe;)

18k is underwhelming imo. May make sense financially I guess, but will still lock many out.

Particularly as I believe we're here to stay... at pl level.

We're going to continue to lock out large numbers.

Caveat being, that if we built bigger it'd cause issues getting permission... initially.
 
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