If there was ever a sequel to the film ‘Groundhog Day’ in the works then a day in the life of a Newcastle United fan under the ownership of Mike Ashley would be one script to follow.
Although it’s predictable and pretty pointless as the same scenarios pan out time after time here, at least there would be something fabricated to keep the audience enthralled once the Hollywood scriptwriters got their hands on things instead of the state of limbo that exists in real life.
As it is, we’re here again in a transfer window at Newcastle where the gaping chasm may as well be bricked up as the non-existent activity is being manipulated by the media in the pretence that things are going on behind the scenes with daily links to different players. Each one then being dismissed by another media source as if to create their own agenda.
Whilst other clubs in the premier league are offering a rising going rate for average players, our standing as the once World transfer record fee payers in the form of Alan Shearer just seems a lifetime away. Other clubs just regularly trumping their own highest fee whilst our owner gets away with crying poverty.
Aside from the recently promoted trio of Wolves, Cardiff and Fulham who will probably overtake our twelve-year-old transfer record of £16m (for Micheal Owen) very soon, there’s only Brighton and Burnley that have a lower outlay. Again, that could change in the coming weeks.
With us not knowing how much Rafa Benitez has to spend in this transfer window and no reports of any concrete bids being made, the script will have the inevitable flirting with relegation feel that has engulfed the majority of Ashley’s tenure here unless there’s a dramatic change of ownership or the fans suddenly take notice of the true picture here of doing just enough to exist whilst something else prospers on the back of us.
Like in the world of politics with the hidden agendas, there is no need for austerity here but by thinking you can gamble each year to gain the biggest prize, there can only be one eventual outcome and that isn’t a winning one. We’re set up as a yo-yo club with the string not destined to last forever.