The Journal: "I’m almost afraid to open my morning newspaper in case I’m confronted with more lunacy from the club.
"Thankfully all is quiet, but the most telling silence is from the manager. His less-than-ringing endorsement of the new regime reinforces my belief that he won’t see the new season in.
"While we’re being drip-fed targets and bids, the feeling of apathy is beginning to take hold. Aiming for top 10 indeed, and about the same time it’s revealed that Sports Direct is taking over a huge HMV store in London.
"Given the bizarre methods of employment used by Ashley, he’ll probably hire John McCririck as manager, on the basis that he used to play the triangle at Harrow.
"While we do take these things with an industrial-sized pinch of salt, I note one of our targets has expressed a desire to hold out for bigger than us.
This isn’t a great surprise. When the manager continually whines about being in Europe and expressing relief at non-participation, it amounts to the equivalent of a travel agent selling cruises with the strapline “Go to exotic places – and get sea-sick”.
"Add to that the fact that the bloke pushing all the buttons only got the job because on his CV under ‘qualifications’ it says ‘Someone’s mate’, and you hardly have a footballing paradise waiting to be explored."
PRE-SEASON FRIENDLIES:
Motherwell (A) July 16
Rio Ave (A) July 20
Pacos Ferreira (A) July 23
Blackpool (A) July 29
St Mirren (A) July 31
Braga (H) August 10
WE TELL IT AS IT IS - NO BULLSHIT!
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NEWCASTLE UNITED FIXTURES ...
Saturday August 17
15:00Premier League Manchester City v Newcastle United
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15:00Premier League Newcastle United v West Ham United
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15:00Premier League Newcastle United v Fulham Saturday
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15:00Premier League Everton Newcastle v United
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15:00Premier League Newcastle United v Liverpool
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15:00Premier League Sunderland v Newcastle United
Saturday November 2