Email from Penfold

Hi Darren Peacocks Ponytail,

As the transfer window closes, we are delighted by what we think has been a very strong summer of business for our Club.

We’ve secured ourselves four exceptional new senior players in Georginio Wijnaldum, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Chancel Mbemba and Florian Thauvin, as well as landing the exciting emerging talent of Ivan Toney.

I hope you’ve been impressed by what you’ve seen from them so far. We are confident they will continue to improve and will add significantly to the quality and success of the team.

In addition, we were delighted to agree a new deal with our Captain, Fabricio Coloccini, who on and off the field is showing the drive and determination we desire from our Captain and one of the figureheads of our club.


Spending, Summer Window 2015
I know that conflicting reports from outside the club can make it hard to understand what we’ve spent in the window. I want to take this opportunity to confirm that the net amount spent this summer is £52.6m, with £51.5m cash paid out. On top of the transfer spend, our wage bill for the year to 30 June 2016 will increase by a minimum of just under £9m as a result of our activity during this transfer window.


I’d also like to highlight a few key messages:

• Financial strength… The decisions we’ve made over the past few years have given us the financial strength to net spend significantly this summer, as well as retaining those key players who were in demand from other clubs.

We’ll continue to spend on the squad moving forward and have no need or desire to sell our best players.

• Our strategy is clear – quality over quantity… We want the best young players available to us.

We have brought in high-calibre players that will make an immediate impact.

• A new board structure… The Board have worked very closely together during this summer window. We want a squad that is strong defensively, combined with plenty of creativity, attacking intent and flair.

We are all of one mind when it comes to our vision for the squad.

• A long term strategy… We’re delighted with the players we’ve brought in, but we always knew that it would take more than one window to reshape and restructure.

This is the start not the end. It will take time and number of windows to get where we want to be.

We are in a very strong financial position. To allow us to continue in this vein, we need to ensure that the club's finances remain just as healthy over the coming years. We ask that you trust us in this process. We want our club to progress and be the best it can possibly be.


Steve and his team
We have set Steve a target of a top-eight finish and to win a trophy. Everyone at the club is driving hard towards that goal. However, all of this rebuilding and reshaping isn’t something that can happen overnight; it will take time.

I have complete faith that what he and his team are implementing will give us the best possible chance of success as a club and I would ask that you give Steve and his team, your team, all your support while we strive to deliver this reshaped vision.


A new chapter
In recent years I know that some of you feel a divide has opened up between the club and the supporters. We accept responsibility for the things we have done, or not done, to contribute to this, but with Steve's arrival and a new season ahead of us, we have been presented with a real opportunity to make progress as a club together.

Often our mistake has been that we’ve not communicated well enough with you and I assure you going forward, this is something we will do better.

I hope you can see from activities such as the pre-season open/family day, the emails like mine that are now being sent directly to your inbox, and with a fresh focus on engaging with you far better on social media, we are showing we have a desire to connect with you.

What is absolutely clear is that when we are all pulling in the same direction and you are one hundred percent behind the players who wear our shirt, it makes the difference.

Your support is magnificent and truly valued. On behalf of the board and all my colleagues, I hope that this can be a new chapter of positivity and progression for Newcastle United on and off the pitch.

Best wishes,






Lee Charnley
Managing Director

 

Still no email from the tea lady yet - I expect that to be the next one!

 

"I hope that this can be a new chapter of positivity and progression for Newcastle United on and off the pitch."


cue Panthro

 

Fair play to him.

 

"you are one hundred percent behind the players who wear our shirt, it makes the difference."

Think some of our fans need to be doing this!

 

"Often our mistake has been that we’ve not communicated well enough with you and I assure you going forward, this is something we will do better."

there's no communication problems, you just don't listen - no problem

it was very loud and clear last season

 

maybe we should have a sweepstake to see who is next up in line to write an email to the fans

I'm going for the Tea Lady, she has to be the next one forced to write

 

Hopefully this happens and we will soon make great progress!

 

Maybe it will be the bloke who does the stadium tours?!

 

nah! he's too busy, it maybe one of the maintenance staff
I'll ask when I see him this week

 

Some fans will be all over that email abusing penfold cos thats what they like to do. I'm still very positive for this season and had a hoarse voice post arsenal which
Is a good sign.

 

We have set Steve a target of a top-eight finish and to win a trophy


I hope the poor buggers job doesn't depend on it...

 

Not being negative by any means, but, it's a bit long, particularly for someone like me with the attention span of a gnat.

But, it is a positive sign that the club is continuing to embark on its commitment to communicate with fans.

There will no doubt be much haranguing of Mr Penfold and the sincerity of the email content.

 

Oh the wage bill has risen and you spent a percentage of the last two years profits.

 

Jeez mate, I'd be delighted if my club had a net spend of over 50m!

 

Over what period?

 

It's only one window mate.
One swallow doesn't make a summer unless summer is a top porn star in the states and on her first job.

 

Safc83 is referring to the transfer window. Just gone.

 

Lee marshall (the comms guy) for me has been the best signing of the summer. I honestly feel as though I genuinely know what is happening at our club these days.

It feels dirty and wrong but I do.

My beelometer is stuck at 1 and won't budge.

 

Exactly whereas my judgement isn't based on the time span of a fish