It’s becoming increasingly depressing to be a Newcastle United fan. It’s never been more apparent to the Magpies that Mike Ashley is killing the club as every club around them continues to spend money whilst they’re stuck with loans and freebies in the market. Yesterday, Rafa Benitez came out and claimed that the target will just be to stay up this season, according to The Chronicle.
“Concentrate on staying up, and after that see where. It will be more difficult than last year. Fulham, Wolves are spending. Huddersfield, Brighton everyone is spending making it more difficult. Next year the target will be to stay up.” – Benitez. #nufc [Chronicle]
— NUFC360 (@NUFC360) July 19, 2018
The Premier League is an up and down league, truly anything can happen and anyone can finish anywhere, as Leicester City proved in the 2015/16 season. However, a well-established top-flight club who finished 10th the season before shouldn’t find themselves being outspent by all three promoted clubs and have their manager claim that the goal for the new season will just be survival.
In this case, The Geordies aren’t even surprised by their predicament as Mike Ashley’s stranglehold on the club intensifies. The Sports Direct owner has refused to fork out transfer funds to Benitez this summer despite claiming he would every penny generated to improve the squad. If Benitez doesn’t receive the funds that he’s been promised then it looks like he’ll be walking soon and that will only bring failure for the fans who can’t imagine life as a Magpie without Benitez in charge.
Here’s what the Newcastle fans on Twitter have been saying:
why isn't anyone investigating Mike Ashley and monies coming into NUFC? Where has the TV revenue money gone? This has been going on too long now using the club as an advertising tool for Sports Direct, it stinks of corruption – we are watching our club hanging on by a thread
— Rich Wearz (@wearz) July 19, 2018
Jaysus what a state #nufc
— Luxfordinho (@Luxfordinho) July 19, 2018
Oh great #ashleyout #nufc
— gavinquinlan (@gavinquinlan) July 19, 2018
So demoralizing
— Toon man (@nufcbollocks) July 20, 2018
Same target every season from now on.
— Ginkoh_NUFC (@Ginkohro) July 20, 2018
we’re going to lose him aren’t we? All this turmoil because of one man. Feels like a constant loophole we can’t get out of
— Kie (@KRClayts) 19 July 2018
— (@Sum__Kid) 19 July 2018
Desperate!!
— Alan Gibbard (@gibbardinho) July 19, 2018
Optimism is a distant memory for Newcastle fans and the fans can’t wait for the season to be over before it’s even begun.
