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Newcastle should be a big club. No hunnish-ness involved, neither projected nor real. They’re a proper working class football club. With a history of glorious failure. Stadium in the city centre, passionate local fan base, no southern affiliations (they fucking hated Ashley et al for being cockney wide-o’s). Absolutely no way they would let their club get liquidated EVER, even if this Saudi experiment goes tits up. On fan base alone they’d be top? 1? They could double the size of St James’ and still fill it (with a hint of success). The only way to win anything anywhere now, is with billionaire sponsors, they’ve got the billionaires of billionaires. It’s a risk but let them enjoy it.

I don’t mind it because on the whole I couldn’t give a shit about English fitba. EPL is a different sport really. In fact not a sport it’s just entertainment. I live down here and the club I started going to 24 years ago are run like a proper club. I’ve watched them in conference, 3rd division, league 2 and league 1. The best season by far was the season they were back in the conference. Cheltenham were approached by the Russians that then bought Bournemouth. Chairman at the time gave them short shrift, would not sell to anyone who might threaten their existence. Board turned down Dale Vince (of FGR) too. There was a point, in the late 90’s where the 2 richest people involved in British football were on the boards of Aberdeen and Cheltenham.

Saudi Arabia can go fuck itself