Newcastle Utd New Owners

[alanjjohnstone]

Knowing the football club allegiance of one of our members and forum contrubtors, I thought I start this topic arising from this article

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/oct/07/english-football-will-sell-itself-to-anyone-human-rights-groups-on-saudi-newcastle-deal

He may know that the nickname of Dundee Utd is the Arabs – nothing racial simply that years ago to make the pitch playable sand was laid down on it.

Will the Magpies and the Toons need to change their nickname?

[ALB]

I believe the Saudi parasites have pledged not to impose sharia law on the players.

[alanjjohnstone]

I’m sure that some fans would be attracted to the idea of threats of public beheading and whippings on the pitch for poor performance.

[Bijou Drains]

Rumour has it that Steve Bruce has been invited into the Saudi Embassy to discuss his role.

[Bijou Drains]

My view as a football fan is pretty close to that put forward by Bobby Robson:
“ What is a club in any case? Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it. It’s not the television contracts, get-out clauses, marketing departments or executive boxes. It’s the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city. It’s a small boy clambering up stadium steps for the very first time, gripping his father’s hand, gawping at that hallowed stretch of turf beneath him and, without being able to do a thing about it, falling in love.”

My first trip to St James was just like that. It’s hard to believe that a friendly match in 1967 would engender such feelings, but it was very like that. Ironically my football living father, who took me to that match was a Sunderland supporter!

[alanjjohnstone]

Personally it always annoyed me that on a Saturday afternoon I would be trying to sell the Socialist Standard and hundreds of football fans rushed passed to cheer on 22 men kicking a ball around a field.

I have been to protests and demonstrations where a few hundred expressed their solidarity with others less fortunate, while a few streets away thousands of people, now paying thousands of pounds for season tickets, chanted their support for 22 privileged individuals who because of some talent have escaped poverty.

Oh, I agree on the emotionalism and the passion football stirs in people. I worked long enough and close enough to people not to be aware of it. I also recognise the tribalism and the latent aggression between rival fans involved. We have all witnessed the mindless violence and irrational hatred, particularly at local derby games.

Let’s be honest, sport is the gladiatorial games of bread and circus Rome.

And the pandemic has shown that for a year at least the fan at the stadium is unnecessary for the spectacle and profits.

Having said the above, I leave you with this

[alanjjohnstone]

I should add that I had to spend years discarding the “inheritance” I received from my father regards football. He was anti-Catholic and so a supporter of you-know-who in blue, as was all his side of the family.

For your enjoyment, BD

[james19]

[alanjjohnstone]

I was rooting for the Faroe Islands.

[alanjjohnstone]

While this topic began as a light-hearted piece of banter, the actual situation with the Saudi take-over of Newcastle has taken on a fairly serious tone.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/oct/18/premier-league-clubs-vote-to-block-newcastle-sponsorship-deals-at-emergency-meeting

Why was the Emirates and Etihad Arabian money acceptable or Leicester City’s Thai cash okay? Why are the rich clubs grumbling about sponsorship unfairness when they all are beneficiaries of big money injections also compared to the clubs in the other leagues?

[Author]

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