That Open Letter to Mike Ashley

A viral open letter to Mike Ashley, the owner of Newcastle United Football Club, by freelance journalist Paul Nicholson, makes some telling points.  He argues that "we," the fans are the reason:

• Rafa decided to stay at the club
• The ground was full week after week in the Championship.   
• The club makes so much money from shirt and other merchandise sales.
• You can rely on high season ticket sales year upon year.
• There is a Newcastle United at all.

But he also threatens that “we” are also the reason that the whole club could fall apart.

All very true up to the last point.  In a normal arrangement, if a supplier behaved badly to his customers, the customers would make their displeasure felt at the till.  So why doesn’t that happen at Newcastle.  The answer, sadly, is that the fans are not the customers at all, they are only part of the product.  And Mike Ashley is astute enough to know it.

“Enjoy the game,” as they say before the match!