A letter from a Member of the Toon army

i sent in a article on the 606 web site at the BBC . It was about the revolting behaviour of Dennis Wise and many other so called Directors of football and how they line their pockets and screw everything up and shot off rather like what the city men are doing on the world markets today (scary truth).
I read the letter this person had left as a comment and I thought I'd like to share it with you to see how a fan can be de moralised. There is a wee bit of Geordie dialect.

An Open Letter To Mike Ashley

Mr Ashley,

I never thought I would see this day, my Dad has just been on the phone saying that while he will always support Newcastle, as long as yourself, Wise et al are at the club not one more penny of his money will go to the club. I totally understand his feelings.

Take a look at the clubs that did well last season and beyond, not just winning things but progressing and improving. Man Utd, Arsenal, Portsmouth, Aston Villa, Blackburn. They have a board/owner who appoints a manager and backs him. Let him choose who he buys and who he sells. The managers of these clubs are football men who understand the game and can judge player ability and how they fit in with how the team plays. Look at the clubs that are performing poorly against expectations, Spurs, Liverpool, West Ham, Man City. They have managers who are not in control. None football people,agents, business men, interfering in transfers buying players that the manager doesn't want, selling those he does. It breeds disharmony and poor results.

You appoint a manager, let him run the football side. He knows what he is coaching them how they are going to play. He knows what players will fit in with the system and hence should be bought. If his buys and the way he coaches does not work then replace him. At least the manager can be judged on his players and his tactics. You had chosen the right man Mr Ashley, he knew this club, the fans he understood Newcastle. His transfer record has always been excellent, his style of play a joy to watch. Yes he had failings, mainly in how he developed young players and ran the non-first team side of things. I supported you when you brought in Wise, thinking he would run the academy and take the weight of non first team issues from Keegan. Letting him do what he does best.

I feel sadly let down. The club is run from London and Keegan was reduced to merely the role a first team coach.

I plead with you now Mr Ashley, not as an irrational emotional Geordie irate that his Messiah is no more, but as a calm supporter seeing your long term strategy condemning his beloved side to failure. Look at the teams that succeed and those that fail. and see which ones employ your model. Please, I beg of you, sell the club, make all the profit you desire. Take that money and return to London. Leave our club in someone else's hands, you are not welcome in our town.

Surely you must see that you and Mr Wise will never be able to show your faces at St James' Park again. I'm sure you may enjoy the extra time in London but the people of the North East will make sure their voices are heard. The thousands of fans, the corporate sponsors.

Newcastle United like every other team is a football club not a traditional business. Your manager has to have your full confidence, trust and backing. Who will want to manage Newcastle now. Wise and Poyet? Not even you and Mr Llambias could possibly consider that? Marcelinho, will he be happy with no control of transfers?

I would be very interested to know what exactly made you believe that Dennis Wise, Llambias, Vettiere and the others had a greater footballing knowledge than Keegan. Wise was a manager at a lower league club, many saying Poyet was the reason for his success. What does he know of managing a Premier League team and judging a players ability. None of them have the record Keegan has. None of them can judge a player like Keegan and more importantly know how they will fit in with the current squad and the tactical patterns. You have a scout to tell a manager of players he should look at. Not make the important decisions.

You have made catastrophic errors of judgement in your strategy and staffing Mr Ashley. Sadly these errors will not have costs for you. You will surely be able to sell the club on. It is the fans, your customers who will pay. I fear our best players will not want to be at our club, and any decent player will certainly not entertain a move to your circus. I really fear for our Premiership status.

I will always support Newcastle, but I promise to you. You and your companies (including NUFC) will not see any more of my money. You have no goodwill from me and I would daresay the rest of Newcastle feel the same.

This day is a dark day in the history of Newcastle United. Your name will forever go down as the man who sank Newcastle's reputation and standing even lower than Freddie Shepherd was capable of.

I hope I am wrong but I believe you have torn the heart and soul from our City, and the only way is down from here on in.

Please give us some hope, sell our club and move on.

Yours,
A lost customer.