There has been a lot of talk of protests on Tyneside ever since Newcastle issued a statement declaring Rafa Benitez’s departure from St James’ Park, with fans wishing to vent their anger and frustrations at how Mike Ashley is running United.
Fan group Wor Flags, who have been trying to boost the atmosphere at our home games, have taken the decision to cease operations until further notice as a show of defiance against the Sports Direct owner, noting that Ashley’s ‘vile regime’ has destroyed the efforts of the Magpies fanbase.
The United fan protest group behind AshleyOut.com, meanwhile, have called on their fellow Magpies supporters to ‘make a stand’ and stay away from St James’ Park when the new campaign rolls around, as well as boycotting the purchase of any club merchandise until Ashley sells the club.
Some supporters even visited Ashley’s residency over the weekend to take their protests directly to our owner on the day before Benitez’s Newcastle contract officially expired, and held aloft a banner which read: ‘Sports Neglect, this isn’t blowing over’.
Prominent Toon figure Steve Wraith, however, has shunned the idea of partaking in such protests, noting that while he is not opposed to the idea, he would not be able to bring himself to joining in.
Wraith, best known as a boxing promoter and avid Newcastle fan, has since been called ‘out of touch’ by some of his fellow Magpies supporters, who feel there is ‘massive demand’ for protests as ‘there’s nothing left to lose’.
Here are some of the replies Wraith has received…
So if you’re not against a boycott but you attend, does that not mean you are against it?
— Stephen (@dustyrerds) July 1, 2019
The point is the mood has changed, and there is an appetite for a boycott also fans giving up their ST in droves
— 1892_jem (@1892Jem) July 1, 2019
Agreed.
Anyone who says there’s no appetite for a boycott is seriously out of touch.
There’s MASSIVE demand for one.
The mood has changed.
Rafa has gone.
There’s nothing left to lose now.#NUFC
— The Geordie Boot Boy (@BootGeordie) July 1, 2019
There will be 45k plus at SJP against Arsenal who say they’ll never turn their back on the Toon no matter what, 12 months later there’ll be 30k saying the same thing first home game in the Championship.
— Dean Woods (@wuds100) July 2, 2019
Hi Steve can I ask why you’re not up for a boycott. We’ve been chanting and doing various other things for 12 years and nothing. Afraid we need drastic action now
— The Looney Toon (@The_Looney_Toon) July 1, 2019
By attending you are implicitly agreeing with the status quo. @nufctrust is great (lifelong member from March) but direct action such as a boycott can be part of the trust’s strategy. Its not either/or We need
immediate statements (boycott)
and
longer term progress(dialogue)— Kenny Wharton sits on the ball (@Nolpecker) July 1, 2019
Lame. A couple of games could make a huge difference. Anyone still going deserves the misery they’re getting. Barnes and Bishop will be proud of you
— Simon Mulholland (@SimonM71) July 1, 2019
Aye you were on TalkSport telling the world you would not boycott. Great support for the campaign You prefer to ‘talk to Ashley’ to persuade him to invest and hes bound to listen
— Brian Huddart (@Doomlordster) July 1, 2019