i'm sorry, but nothing you've posted there suggests we are in a state off the playingfield

"we were bookies' favourites to win the title; yet two desperately poor seasons followed, and we're in an even worse position now." - because we under-performed on the pitch

"we've now become an example others are terrified of emulating." - not unless we've changed our name to Leeds without me realising... (now they really were/are in a state off the playingfield)

"Sorry, but for us to have collapsed this fast, something behind the scenes simply has to be seriously wrong. " - only in as much as the board made the mistake of sticking with Worthy too long, and, as now unfortunately things seems to be turning out, appointed the wrong manager in Grant

"[were a club going places, seemingly not anymore]...And that in turn creates a palpable sense of decline in the dressing room," - we're not going places because we're not producing on the pitch, and i agree, losing games is bound to create disharmony in the dressing room

"with a £7m black hole to fill this season," - yep, this is true, but from what i've read in the accounts the club is able to cope without selling its ground or going into administration or selling all its players, which is what a club that is truely in a state off the field would be forced to do

"Newcastle's poor fortunes on the pitch last season were down hugely to massive problems behind the scenes: " - well Glenn Roeder (their manager last year) not being up to the job probably had far more to do with that

" they were threatened by financial meltdown, " - i don't follow the fortunes of Newcastle that closely, so i don't know how accurate that is, but again reading our accounts, we are nowhere near financial meltdown

"but stable finances " - this we have

"and a competent board " - well, they've done pretty much all a competent board should, except that they've backed the wrong manager, but they have backed him (is it 8 or 9 signings this summer?)

"Indeed, that Grant has been denied more money" - but he hasn't, indeed, Sharon Turner has said he has money for loan signings as has Neil Doncaster

"and lacks the explicit 100% backing of the board ... lack of support filters down to his players," - you'd rather they weren't concerned about the performances on the pitch?

"probably owes a huge amount to the limbo created by the Turners:" - pure speculation on your part

"when the situation in the boardroom is sorted out " - yep, probably change of some sort or another is afoot, but nothing at all has been suggested that this has been an anything other than amicable situation for all parties concerned has it?

"why else did Delia and Michael hoover up the last remaining shares?" - to help reduce our debt perhaps? what would be interesting to know (for me at least) is what is going to happen with the proposed 33,333 new shares (resolution 8 or 9 at the AGM)

Posted By: blindasabat, Oct 6, 12:20:18