Oh No! Not The Wonga Arena?

Last updated : 07 October 2012 By Footy Mad - Editor

s

Wonga, the payday lender, is in detailed talks with Mike Ashley.
 
Wonga, which has faced criticism for its high interest rates, is poised to replace Virgin Money from the start of the 2013/14 season.

So if they aren't popular NOW ... wait until they rename St James' Park!

They will face the "Mackem Sugar Puffs" syndrome that swept across Wearside when Kevin Keegan appeared in an advert with the Honey Monster (who was wearing a Toon shirt) and Mackems refused to eat the breakfast cereal.

Will any Toon fan get a loan from Wonga after this?

s

The consumer finance company, which has faced criticism for its high interest rates, is poised to replace Virgin Money from the start of the 2013/14 season.

The Sunday Telegraph understands Wonga will sponsor both the shirts and the club's stadium in a deal believed to be worth £8m a year.

The deal had not yet been finalised, but it is understood that it should be signed within a fortnight.

It is expected the deal will begin from the start of the 2013 season, and last for an initial three years.

The stadium, named the Sports Direct Arena after Mr Ashley's sportswear retailer, will be renamed Wonga.

Wonga is shirt sponsor for Championship side Blackpool, in a deal which currently runs until the end of the 2012/2013 season.

News of the impending Newcastle sponsorship comes as Wonga filed detailed accounts for the year ended December 2011 at Companies House.

The numbers – providing a greater insight than the headline figures released last month – show that the company's cash balances were just shy of £135m at the end of December 2011. The overall cash position rose by £41m in the year, despite also paying off debts of £9.5m, meaning it is now debt-free.

A Wonga spokesman did not comment.

TOON FIXTURE CHANGES

s

Wigan (H) has been moved from Saturday 1 December, 3.00 pm to Monday 3 December, 8.00 pm. Sky Sports.

Fulham (A) has been moved from Saturday 8 December, 3.00 pm to Monday 10 December, 8.00 pm. Sky Sports.

Man City (H) has been moved from Saturday 15 December, 3.00 pm to the earlier kick-off of 12.45 pm. Sky Sports.

Arsenal (A) has been moved from Saturday 29 December, 3.00 pm to the later kick-off of 5.30 pm. ESPN.

Everton (H) has been moved from Tuesday 1 January, 3.00 pm to the Wednesday 2 January, 8.00 pm. Sky Sports.

NEWCASTLE UNITED FC 2012/13

 d

Newcastle United Fixtures

Sunday October 7
16:00 Premier League Newcastle United v Man Utd

Sunday October 21
13:30 Premier League Sunderland v Newcastle United

Thursday October 25
20:05 Europa League - Group D  Newcastle V Club Bruges

Sunday October 28
15:00 Premier League Newcastle United v West Brom

Sunday November 4
16:00 Premier League Liverpool v Newcastle United 

NEWCASTLE UNITED SQUAD

1.Krul
2.Coloccini
3.Santon
4.Cabaye
5.Simpson
6.Williamson
8.Anita
9.Cisse
10.Ben Arfa
14.Perch
15.Gosling
16.Taylor R
17.Amalfitano
18.Gutierrez
19.Ba
0.Bigirimana
21.Elliot
22.Marveaux
3.Shola Ameobi
24.Tiote
25.Obertan
27.Taylor S
28.Sammy Ameobi
29.Vuckic
31.Ranger
32.Xisco
34.Tavernier
37.Harper
38.Inman
39.Abeid
40.Richardson
49.Campbell

PREMIERSHIP 

READING 2 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ba 2)
Harper, Perch, Williamson, Steven Taylor (Tavernier 56), Santon, Ben Arfa, Tiote, Bigirimana (Ferguson 70), Gutierrez, Cisse (Shola Ameobi 69), Ba.
Subs not used: Elliot, Anita, Obertan, Sammy Ameobi.
 

NEWCASTLE 1 NORWICH 0 (Ba)
Harper, Perch, Williamson, Steven Taylor, Santon, Ben Arfa (Shola 85mins), Anita (Tiote 76 mins), Cabaye, Jonas, Cisse (Obertan 70 mins), Ba
Subs unused: Elliot, Tavernier, Bigirimana, Sammy Ameobi
 

EVERTON 2 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ba 2)
Harper; Perch, Williamson, Taylor, Santon; Anita, Cabaye (Bigirimana 93), Gutierrez; Marveaux (Ba 46), Ben Arfa; Cissé (Shola Ameobi 80).
Substitutes not used Elliot (g), Gosling, Obertan, Tavernier.
 

NEWCASTLE 1 ASTON VILLA 1 (Ben Arfa)
Krul, Simpson (Bigirimana 38), Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Santon, Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Anita, Gutierrez (Marveaux 86), Ba (Obertan 86), Cisse
Subs not used: Harper, Williamson, Gosling, Amalfitano
 

CHELSEA 2 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Simpson (Ryan Taylor 64), Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Santon (Marveaux 74), Ben Arfa, Anita, Cabaye (Perch 77), Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse
Subs not used: Harper, Williamson, Gosling, Obertan
 

NEWCASTLE 2 SPURS 1 (Ba, Ben Arfa pen)
Krul; Simpson, S Taylor, Perch, Santon; Ben Arfa, Cabaye (Anita, 71), Tiote, Gutierrez; Cisse, Ba (Obertan, 85). Subs not used: Harper; R Taylor, Williamson, Gosling, Amalfitano  

EUROPA LEAGUE

NEWCASTLE 3 BORDEAUX 0 (Shola Ameobi, Henrique og), Cisse)
Elliot  (Harper, 46 ); Simpson, Williamson, Perch, Ferguson; Anita, Tiote  (Gosling, 71), Cabaye  (Bigirimana, 61); Cisse, Ameobi, Obertan.
 

MARITIMO 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Elliot, Santon, Williamson, Perch, S Taylor, Gosling, Amalfitano (Ferguson 76), Bigirimana, Obertan (Marveaux 80), Vuckic (Sami Ameobi 53), Shola Ameobi.
Subs (not used): Harper (gk), Tavernier, Abeid, Campbell
 

NEWCASTLE 1 ATROMITOS 0 (Vuckic)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Ryan Taylor (11 Vuckic), Obertan, Bigirimana, Perch (59 Tavernier), Marveaux (91 Amalfitano), Gosling, Ba.
Subs: Harper, Cabaye, Cisse, Campbell.
 

ATROMITOS 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (R Taylor)
Harper; Tavernier, Williamson, Perch, R Taylor; Bigirimana, Anita; Obertan, Gosling (Amalfitano, 64), Marveaux (Gutierrez, 71); Cisse (Campbell, 77). Subs not used: Krul, Santon, Cabaye, S Taylor.

 LEAGUE CUP 

MAN UTD 2 NEWCASTLE 1 (Cisse)
Elliot, Coloccini (Ferguson 61), Williamson, Perch, Tavernier, Gosling, Marveaux, Tioté (Bigirimana 71), Obertan, Vuckic (Cisse 81), Shola Ameobi. 
Subs not used: Harper, Anita, Amalfitano, Sammy Ameobi.

PRE-SEASON

CARDIFF CITY 4 NEWCASTLE 1 (Shola Ameobi pen)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini (Williamson 46), Steven Taylor (Gosling 63), Santon, Obertan (Campbell 83), Tiote (Amalfitano 71) , Gutiérrez, Marveaux (Vuckic 46), R Taylor (Perch 28), Shola Ameobi.

HARTLEPOOL 1 NEWCASTLE 5 (Shola Ameobi, Marveaux 2, Obertan, Vuckic)
Harper (Alnwick 82), Simpson (Good 72), Tavernier, Williamson, S.Taylor (Vuckic 46), Perch (R.Taylor 72), Gosling, Amalfitano (Santon 80), Marveaux (Obertan 78), Sh.Ameobi (Ben Arfa 46), Bigirimana (Abeid 59).

DEN HAAG 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul; S Taylor (Gosling 65), R Taylor (Perch 71), Coloccini, Santon (Simpson 80); Obertan (Bigirimana 71), Tiote (Ameobi 71), Vuckic (Williamson 65), Gutierrez; Ba (Amalfitano 82), Cisse

BRAGA 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ba, R Taylor)
Harper; Simpson, Tavernier, Coloccini, R.Taylor; Sammy Ameobi (Obertan 88), Tiote (Cabaye 70), Gutierrez, Marveaux; Cisse, Ba (Vuckic 85). 

OLYMPIACOS 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (S Taylor)
Krul, Perch, Williamson, S.Taylor (Dummett 46), Santon, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 72), Bigirimana, Gosling (Abeid 36), Amalfitano, Vuckic, Shola Ameobi (Cisse 72).

FENERBAHCE 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Abeid)
Elliot, Simpson (Santon 68), Tavernier, Coloccini, R Taylor, Tiote (Bigirimana 59), Gosling (Abeid 73), Obertan (Shola Ameobi 75), Marveuax (Gutierrez 59), Vuckic (Sammy Ameobi 46), Ba (Cisse 68).

MONACO 0 NEWCASTLE 1 (Ba)
Harper, Santon (Ryan Taylor 57), Simpson, Williamson (Perch 46), Gutierrez, Amalfitano (Obertan 62), Abeid (Tavernier 46), Bigirimana (Tiote 62), Sammy Ameobi (Vuckic 46), Shola Ameobi (Gosling 62), Ba (Marveaux 78) 

CHEMNITZER 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Elliot; Tavernier (Simpson, 70), Williamson, Perch, R Taylor (Santon, 70); Obertan (Gutierrez, 77), Abeid (Bigirimana, 70), Gosling, Amalfitano; Vuckic (Shola Ameobi, 70), Sammy Ameobi (Ba, 77). Sub not used: Harper.