Newcastle’s new owner Mike Ashley has worn a Newcastle shirt to every Newcastle game he has attended since buying the club for £135M in the summer.
But Niall Quinn, the Sunderland chairman, thinks Mike’s public display of loyalty will be a problem at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, when passions will be running high. He thinks Mike wearing the Newcastle shirt in the Director’s Box may be a problem for police.
Why is that? It seems ridiculous to us to think that the Newcastle owner wearing a Newcastle shirt in the Director’s box, will be any problem at all.
Niall Quinn – thinks Ashley wearing the Newcastle shirt will be a problem on Saturday – why?
Mike wears the shirt at every game, so it’s not just for the Sunderland game. Asked whether Ashley would be able to wear his Newcastle shirt to the game, Quinn told the Shields Gazette today:
“You’ll have to ask the police about it, not me!†“I certainly wouldn’t have a problem with it, but I don’t know what the police would say.â€
“The man supports his team, and that’s great. When you see enthusiasm like that, that’s fine.”
It’s a bit of a mystery to us why the police would have any problem at all with having owner Mike Ashley wear the Newcastle shirt on Saturday – maybe it’s a problem only in their own eyes. Hey, it would be nice to see Niall wear the Sunderland shirt too.
The game is both Mike Ashley’s and Niall Quinn’s first derby game, and also the first for new Newcastle chairman Chris Mort. It’s also the first time the two managers, Sam Allardyce and Roy Keane, will have gone head to head with their teams. Both are characters in their own right, of course.
Quinn added:
“It’s a marvelous game – it was my favorite of all the derbies I played.†“I played Manchester ones and other ones, but this one’s just amazing with what it means to the region and the people.â€
“It will be a very proud day for the people involved.†“I can’t call how it’s going to go, but it’s great we’re in there and we’re in the Premier League playing in a derby. I can’t wait.†“Roy Keane and Sam Allardyce are two of the game’s most phenomenal characters.â€
“That in itself is a great story leading into the game, but then when you look at the fact that Sunderland have been down in the dumps lately and it’s a great chance for ourselves to restore our pride and kick on up the league.â€
“Most people will be saying it’s only a game, and rightly so, but there’s something very special about it.†“To see Newcastle’s new owners and Sunderland’s new owners, and new managers.â€
“It’s going to be a great occasion. I’m sure it will be. It’s just going to be a great game.”
And it will be another test for newly-promoted Sunderland, but from what we’ve seen, they have done quite well against some of the top teams, without ever really being able to get a result their play often seemed to deserve. The same was true last night at Manchester City where they were rather unlucky to be beaten 1-0, by an ordinary looking Manchester City side.
Quinn added:
“I can’t wait. We’re entertaining Newcastle at our place, and like with all games, we’re on a mission to show people we’re a proper Premiership club.†“It’s another test for us to see whether we belong in the Premiership.â€
“It’s going to take a long time, but games like this will help us along the way.
“We keep reminding people that we’re trying to change an awful lot here, and it’s very difficult. I think we’ll get there, and I think we’ll do the club proud.”
It should really be a good game on Saturday, with lots of excitement that these derbies always generate. It will be a sad commentary though, if Mike cannot wear his shirt. Does that mean other supporters will not be allowed to wear their shirts too? Where’s the logic in this? We cannot see any at all.
Comments welcome.
33 comments so far
joshi
Nov 6, 2007 at 4:48 PM
Comment #1Ed, you named the article with ‘Allardyce’. I’m sure you ment ‘Ashley’?
Cockney Magpie
Nov 6, 2007 at 4:49 PM
Comment #2Quinn u pratt! what about all the newcastle fans? cant they wear their shirts either? who the hell is Niall Quinn to tell Mike Ashley what he can and cant wear?
Cockney Magpie
Nov 6, 2007 at 4:50 PM
Comment #3anybody know any mackem bloga? i might pop on their for sum firndly pre match banter 😉
bowsie
Nov 6, 2007 at 5:03 PM
Comment #4Hang on a second? Didn’t anybody read the quote? He said he’d no problem with Ashley wearing his jersey. I mean come on guys talk about making a story out of nothing…
As for the police comment, sometimes people make these funny comments, known more popularly as “jokes”.
bowsie
Nov 6, 2007 at 5:06 PM
Comment #5Here’s the original story, which tells it properly:
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2007/11/06/ashley-s-toon-top-is-ok-by-me-niall-72703-20068462/
“Ashley’s top is OK by me”.
Ed, are you using your editorial power to forward some kind of agenda? Hehehe.
joshi
Nov 6, 2007 at 5:16 PM
Comment #6Hmmm a couple of articles back there was alot of talk about buying Crouch?? i mean he isn’t bad but would we even want him? i wonder how much kewell is worth, im guessing pretty cheap? i say we should go for him in jan. He can link well with Viduka and Big Sam could help him catch some form, give our midfield a bit of depth and experience.
Doctapaul
Nov 6, 2007 at 5:45 PM
Comment #7Am I bovvered? Does my face look bovvered?I ain’t bovvered.
Ed Harrison
Nov 6, 2007 at 6:35 PM
Comment #8Bowsie – no – it just seems ridiculous – Quinn said the police may have some trouble with it – but surely there’s nothing wrong with a guy wearing the shirt in the director’s box – what’s going to happen – are the 2 sets of directors going to wrestle each other to the ground?
Ed Harrison
Nov 6, 2007 at 6:36 PM
Comment #9josh – I saw that at the last moment and hoped nobody read it before I changed it – but you obviously did 😀
Rob kirton
Nov 6, 2007 at 8:56 PM
Comment #10I think that Quinny should wear a Sunderland shirt and they can sort it out in the players lounge after the game with the players around them shouting “scrap, scrap, scrap……” that sort of stuff :0)
Cockney Magpie
Nov 6, 2007 at 10:12 PM
Comment #11wow i hope Joey Barton becomes half as good as Steven Gerrard has been tonight
Hammy
Nov 6, 2007 at 10:12 PM
Comment #12Carroll scores at Preston……errrr……. Wooo…… ged in…….
deafening silence……
Cockney Magpie
Nov 6, 2007 at 10:14 PM
Comment #13also was thinking if we need a creative midfielder we should look at Rochemback for somebody short term maybe he has got great vision and has some killer final balls.
Hammy
Nov 6, 2007 at 10:19 PM
Comment #14Sure, Owen would appreciate that……
Norwich losing….Glenn in box…arms folded…blinks now and again…..
Cockney Magpie
Nov 6, 2007 at 10:21 PM
Comment #15or we should just get harry kewell and then get jon woodgate and lee bowyer back and get David O’leary in, that seemed to work back in the day!
Hammy
Nov 6, 2007 at 10:22 PM
Comment #16All past there sell by date cockney mag……
Hammy
Nov 6, 2007 at 10:24 PM
Comment #17Phil Thompson is past himself on SSN……..7-0
watch those dentures don’t fly out….
Cockney Magpie
Nov 6, 2007 at 10:58 PM
Comment #18it was a joke hammy mate id never want Bowyer back lol and y u watchin ssn wen its live on itv?
Hammy
Nov 6, 2007 at 11:10 PM
Comment #19Cockney mag, I, I thought you were taking the piss…..just playing along..
Also I was watching SSN as I don’t like watching one side games…
unless of course it’s us that’s giving somebody a sh%gging..
Bill f
Nov 6, 2007 at 11:47 PM
Comment #20As an alternative to wearing the Toon shirt perhaps Ashley could show solidarity with some of our more impressive supporters and go topless. Now that would be committment.
Tom_Toon
Nov 6, 2007 at 11:50 PM
Comment #21Any thoughts about the line up for the weekend?
———Harper—————
Beye–Roz–Faye–Enrique
—Geremi–Barton–Zog—-
————–Emre————-
———Smith——————
——————Oba————
Subs: Forster, Taylor, Capaca, Milner, Owen
Doctapaul
Nov 6, 2007 at 11:51 PM
Comment #22Ashley could show solidarity with some of our more impressive supporters and go topless…..
Too much information
Doctapaul
Nov 6, 2007 at 11:52 PM
Comment #23TT is doesn’t matter what the line up is so much as it’s more important that we go with the clear intent of winning by 3-4 goals, rather than crowd the half way line
Bill f
Nov 7, 2007 at 12:01 AM
Comment #24I was thinking Feye for Geremi and Taylor in the back line. He has to play in the derby match.
And topless ashley might not be a pretty sight but it would be a great Harvey Smith salute.
Leo
Nov 7, 2007 at 12:50 AM
Comment #25it wont be an easy game thats for sure, they are going to be hyped up, like a charv on speed haha.
but we show our class we should win
Cockney Magpie
Nov 7, 2007 at 2:56 AM
Comment #26NUFC 4-1 Scumderland , Martins (2), Owen, Barton – Chopra
Doctapaul
Nov 7, 2007 at 8:37 AM
Comment #27(thanks to Bob Marley…)
Until the colour of a man’s SHIRT
Is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes
Me say war
One game, one love, stay cool. x
yemozone
Nov 7, 2007 at 11:16 AM
Comment #28Can someone tell me who steinsson is? because we’ve have been linked to him
http://talkingsoccer.blogspot.com/2007/11/newcastle-and-middlesborough-sent-mixed.html
joel gledhill
Nov 7, 2007 at 11:20 AM
Comment #29hi it joel ed harrison,have not talk to you in a while
joel gledhill
Nov 7, 2007 at 11:21 AM
Comment #30any good news lately ed harrison
Rich
Nov 7, 2007 at 12:37 PM
Comment #31Team i think that will start against Mackems is
Harper
Beye Rozenthal Faye Enrique
Milner Geremi Barton N Zogbia
Smith Martins
Subs: Forster, Taylor, Owen, Emre, Cacapa
Stami
Nov 7, 2007 at 12:39 PM
Comment #32Ed Harrison
‘what’s going to happen – are the 2 sets of directors going to wrestle each other to the ground?’
i would pay good money to see that…hehe
Ed Harrison
Nov 7, 2007 at 12:45 PM
Comment #33Joel – I’m looking – I’m looking 😀