[Archived] Newcastle Away 26/10

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

We were a stable presence in the Premier League, a well-established top half unit highly regarded throughout the league, when Venkys became the new owners.

One factor meant we had to replace Hughes, the absolute refusal of the Walkers to back Jacks dream. They even cut the £3M per year Jack gave the club to compensate for our lower attendances. Wouldn't even replace Savage when he broke his leg! And the same factor made Sam look elsewhere.

Venkys a disaster but let's not forget who sold the club to them and why and let's not forget what went on before.

Walker family have got off very lightly. We could and should be still in the big-time with shed loads of money coming in.

Any regrets Walkers?

I couldn't agree more. Jack's children should hang their heads in shame. If they believe in the after life they'll be shaking in their shoes at the pearly gates.

[FINRover]

I was also in Newcastle. My first time in Newcastle. I was there from Thursday to Monday. What a weekend for me. Pre & after match pints was absolutely brilliant in the town.

And Newcastle what a town for nightlife. The best nightlife in England where I've been.

Super friendly lads & lasses everywhere. I really enjoyed my time there.

Was great to hear in the match. You never stop singing and atmosphere were great by the Rovers supporters.

Don't take me home

Please don't take me home

I just don't wanna go to work

I wanna stay here, drink all ya beer

Please don't, please don't take me home

[J*B]

Don't take me home

Please don't take me home

I just don't wanna go to work

I wanna stay here, drink all ya beer

Please don't, please don't take me home

Brings back brilliant memories of getting battered by Russian's in Marseille.

[Al]

I don;t understand the extreme criticism of the Walker family. The club was the responsibility of the Walker trust which is a separate entity to the family

Do you not think that the Trust may have been strongly influenced by the will of the Walker Family?

[den]

Do you not think that the Trust may have been strongly influenced by the will of the Walker Family?

The trustees were appointed by Jack to carry out his wishes. One of the trustees was a solicitor (or lawyer?) called Paul Egerton Vernon, who's role "I guess" was to ensure that the trustees carried out Jacks wishes. If I'm right, he retired from that position early on. Did that allow the trustees to stray from their obligations? I often wonder. I was also told by someone very much in the know at that time, that there was nothing in writing about exactly what those wishes were. It does seem though, from Jack and Egerton Vernons comments, that what was said just before and just after his death, didn't fit with the eventual outcome.

[47er]

Do you not think that the Trust may have been strongly influenced by the will of the Walker Family?

As in "who got the money?"!

[tomphil]

It's been alleged they put pressure on the trust to sell as they wanted to split the proceeds between the family. Maybe one or two of the family were on the trust as well, it all seemed to kick in when Fred had gone i think.

Anyway all just rumours, i've heard 3 different scenarios from one or two who do know some of the family but would anyone from the family would spill the nitty gritty anyway.

One thing is for sure between them they sold the club down the river then ALL put their heads down. I'd be amazed if more than one or two of them give a stuff especially the Man Yoo loving ones.

[Stuart]

It's difficult to hold the Walker Trust to account in the same way that we should Venkys.

The whole sorry tale is one of decision making and @#/? poor timing.

The WT latterly made a bad decision (based on the returns they could have had) gave us 10 years of PL football, a trophy and some truly fine players the like of which we may never see again. (I'm not old enough to remember the true greats so it's all relative).

If they had held on a while longer they'd have been quids in. Wouldn't they have stayed? Perhaps a while longer, perhaps not. Ultimately they did not share Jack's passion for the club or town. But they asking price might have put the club out of the reach of the opportunists who took it on since.

Let us not forget the people who have only taken and given the fans NOTHING to cheer about.

Our ire should be solely directed at Venkys and not diluted due to frustration that they aren't listening. In that event you should only ever go upwards. Fans of these club's with intransigent, belligerent and failed wonder should be combining their frustration and making life very very difficult for people who sit back and allow this to happen. The FA.

Football's governing bodies at all levels have not moved with the times and it's no surprise that none of them are fit for purpose in the 21st century.

[47er]

They made Venkys possible Stuart. Simple as that.

[tomphil]

It's been alleged that some Trust members etc bent over backwards to get this deal through the door once it became apparent that there was real money on the table and Venkys core business checked out. That's the most disappointing possibility but let's not forget how good these lot and certain others might be at duping.

The very worst aspect of it all is them just disappearing and never once expressing their dismay at the way things very quickly went. Above all else that stinks !

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

It's been alleged that some Trust members etc bent over backwards to get this deal through the door once it became apparent that there was real money on the table and Venkys core business checked out. That's the most disappointing possibility but let's not forget how good these lot and certain others might be at duping.

The very worst aspect of it all is them just disappearing and never once expressing their dismay at the way things very quickly went. Above all else that stinks !

I agree. Not a murmur from any of Jack's family that I am aware of. They appear to be just standing idly by while everything that Jack built is being destroyed.

Without being wise after the event given the total and absolute lack of knowledge regarding football at any level that the chicken chokers admitted to I would have been very,very loathe to sell the club to them.

The alarm bells were ringing in my head as soon as their background was revealed.

[JHRover]

It's difficult to hold the Walker Trust to account in the same way that we should Venkys.

The whole sorry tale is one of decision making and @#/? poor timing.

The WT latterly made a bad decision (based on the returns they could have had) gave us 10 years of PL football, a trophy and some truly fine players the like of which we may never see again. (I'm not old enough to remember the true greats so it's all relative).

If they had held on a while longer they'd have been quids in. Wouldn't they have stayed? Perhaps a while longer, perhaps not. Ultimately they did not share Jack's passion for the club or town. But they asking price might have put the club out of the reach of the opportunists who took it on since.

Let us not forget the people who have only taken and given the fans NOTHING to cheer about.

Our ire should be solely directed at Venkys and not diluted due to frustration that they aren't listening. In that event you should only ever go upwards. Fans of these club's with intransigent, belligerent and failed wonder should be combining their frustration and making life very very difficult for people who sit back and allow this to happen. The FA.

Football's governing bodies at all levels have not moved with the times and it's no surprise that none of them are fit for purpose in the 21st century.

I accept that at the moment there are more urgent matters than bringing the Trust members to justice. I accept that for the last 6 years the villains have been Venkys and their associates and that continues to be what is dragging this club year on year backwards and downwards and until they go that is likely to continue. Therefore the priority needs to be how best to overcome Venkys and their regime.

However I am anxious to ensure that one day the Trust members get their comeuppance and are dealt with for their actions. I would hope that if/when a new owner comes in that they initiate an investigation into the Trust, their actions whilst they owned the club and the sale process to see if any rules were broken and if so seek retribution for that.

There can be no argument that the Trust have been heavily complicit in our demise. It was their actions and behaviour which fostered an environment in which Venkys could obtain control of this club for a knockdown fee and their signatures on the sale documents which allowed this great club to go into unfit hands and end up in the state it is in today.

Even before the final insult of selling the club down the river without a care in the world and jetting off into the sunset with the £20 million, their behaviour was damaging the club.

Lets not pretend that the Trust members developed some infrastructure in which the club could be successful between 2000 and 2010. All the ingredients for our success in those years were put in place by Jack Walker prior to his death. Graeme Souness, John Williams, Tom Finn, Ewood Park, Brockhall, the promotion squad of 2001. The Trust merely assumed legal ownership once Jack died and left it at that. Fortunately Jack had put in place excellent foundations before he died and John Williams was able to work within the constraints and deliver good results for almost 10 years.

Just imagine if the Trust had done what nearly every other owner has done in the Premier League and allow sensible investment into the playing squad and had the foresight to hold on to the club for another 5-6 years with the ever increasing prize pot and foreign interest.

'They weren't interested in football' - not relevant. They were paid to run the club as best they could by Jack Walker.

'They couldn't have known what Venkys would be like' - impossible. Anyone with an ounce of interest would have sussed this lot out the moment they walked into a room with Anderson alongside.

[tomphil]

One look at the big guy should have been enough. If ever there was a 'does what it says on the tin' it's him

Never mind the reputation the spiv already had as well, let's face it they hired him because they had become desperate to get shut by any means and the slime ball delivered.

[Stuart]

I accept that at the moment there are more urgent matters than bringing the Trust members to justice. I accept that for the last 6 years the villains have been Venkys and their associates and that continues to be what is dragging this club year on year backwards and downwards and until they go that is likely to continue. Therefore the priority needs to be how best to overcome Venkys and their regime.

However I am anxious to ensure that one day the Trust members get their comeuppance and are dealt with for their actions. I would hope that if/when a new owner comes in that they initiate an investigation into the Trust, their actions whilst they owned the club and the sale process to see if any rules were broken and if so seek retribution for that.

There can be no argument that the Trust have been heavily complicit in our demise. It was their actions and behaviour which fostered an environment in which Venkys could obtain control of this club for a knockdown fee and their signatures on the sale documents which allowed this great club to go into unfit hands and end up in the state it is in today.

Even before the final insult of selling the club down the river without a care in the world and jetting off into the sunset with the £20 million, their behaviour was damaging the club.

Lets not pretend that the Trust members developed some infrastructure in which the club could be successful between 2000 and 2010. All the ingredients for our success in those years were put in place by Jack Walker prior to his death. Graeme Souness, John Williams, Tom Finn, Ewood Park, Brockhall, the promotion squad of 2001. The Trust merely assumed legal ownership once Jack died and left it at that. Fortunately Jack had put in place excellent foundations before he died and John Williams was able to work within the constraints and deliver good results for almost 10 years.

Just imagine if the Trust had done what nearly every other owner has done in the Premier League and allow sensible investment into the playing squad and had the foresight to hold on to the club for another 5-6 years with the ever increasing prize pot and foreign interest.

'They weren't interested in football' - not relevant. They were paid to run the club as best they could by Jack Walker.

'They couldn't have known what Venkys would be like' - impossible. Anyone with an ounce of interest would have sussed this lot out the moment they walked into a room with Anderson alongside.

New owners will do not such thing. The door will be closed on that chapters of our history and that will be enough.

And I'd bite someone's hand off if they only offered that.

I don't disagree with your points but save your anxiousness for us having a football club in 5 years time, rather than the inquest.

[Lancaster Rover]

Yep, I'm with Stuart, there is more chance of Lord Lucan riding a Unicorn to Victory at Epsom than that happening.

[bazza]

I have a vision, in the not-to-distant future, of a horse named "Unicorn" winning a race at Epsom and ridden by a jockey called Lucan Lord (or maybe Lucas Lord). Now that is not impossible.