We here in the UK and many other climes live in an age of austerity. This is coded language for lots of people are financially on the floor. Newcastle United are on the brink of a deal that may redefine Premier League sponsorship.
There’s little point in wading through the murky and pointless discussion of how we got here in the first place. Let Mr Bridger from The Italian Job guide you when it comes to politicians. ‘Camp Freddie, everybody in the World is bent!’
We’re here now and whatever way society is squeezed you can guarantee that there will always be those in a position to help. Short term loan companies are like erections at a Viagra trial. Not much emotion, lots of interest.
Wonga.com appear to have taken the bait that Newcastle owner Mike Ashley placed when he re-branded Sid James Park, The Sports Direct Arena. But the initial responses don’t seem favourable. Ian Lavery, the Labour MP for Wansbeck who is a season ticket holder at Sid James Park :
“Financial predators who make their money from people suffering from unemployment, low wages and in the greatest financial need. Newcastle United will be sponsored by the money of deprived people up and down the country,”
“If Wonga get this sponsorship through I will not set foot in St James’ Park until it is off the shirts. To have those players running around on that turf endorsing Wonga is an absolute outrage.
“I have more and more people coming to see me and saying that as a result of job losses or benefit cuts they are being forced into these terrible but legal money lenders whose interest rates only then trap them into further debt.”
Michael Martin, editor of the fanzine True Faith said:
“The people who run Newcastle, for the fans, have a social responsibility. I would love them to honestly answer one question: Would you, Mike Ashley, seriously recommend borrowing money from Wonga at those interest rates?
“If you can’t answer yes then they shouldn’t be our shirt sponsors. Newcastle is being used to normalise their product. It cheapens and tarnishes the Newcastle United brand. I wouldn’t want my logo next to them, so what do other sponsors think?”
Wonga.com sponsors Blackpool and Heart of Midlothian football teams and advertises on football clubs’ websites, leading one Northampton Town fan to start a campaign for its ads to be removed.
Who called this type of lending legal loan sharking? Not me guv, but Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy who was specifically talking about ‘Money Shop’ when workers at The Money Shop were invited into classrooms at Holy Family Technology College in Walthamstow as part of a scheme organised by the Young Enterprise charity:
“I know many parents in Walthamstow who share my concerns about legal loan sharking will be shocked to find a charity such as young enterprise letting these companies into our schools and so helping them to promote themselves as socially responsible.
“Until this industry is regulated properly through caps on the costs of credit they have no place in our education system – and I hope young enterprise will think again before allowing their good work to be associated with such firms.”
This is relevant to us because we’ll be in a similar boat sooner rather than later. And I’d appreciate your thoughts – I may be wrong, but I’d suggest to you that ‘White Hart Lane’ as an official trading name, is one living on borrowed time.
Would you be happy with a significant sponsor of Tottenham Hotspur who lent money with representative APR of 4241%?
Fuel to the fire…Riooottttt
Trying to be ethical with money where football is concerned is like pissing in the wind.
What does this bloke below have in common with Jermaine Jenas???
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-53579/Squatter-owner-100-000-flat.html
Seems like everyone is either on the wide left or the wide right on this site.Its a bit like our team.
Centrists are looked at as fence sitters and strikers (football ones) are looked at with disdain.
The middle class is totally left out of this picture and certainly looked down on by all the romanticists on both sides.
Does this look like our forward line?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npQ5rG8YZA4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JSahEDRjvw&feature=endscreen&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2k1iRD2f-c&feature=related
I look up at Boy’s wife because she handles all the finances….but I look down at Boy because he is is a weakling
Lennon about Defoe…”I look up at him…..”
We all look down on Harry Hotspur for not knowing where Fenchurch station is
Wasn’t The Sheriff of Nottingham’s name Robert De Renaud, of Nottingham and Fenchurch Street? And The Queen of Sheba’s name “Balkis”? One of 7 sisters apparently.
Robin Hood used to get on the train in Barking and steal magazines and dupont lighters from the rich in first class and by the time they got to Basildon had given it all to the poor
On the way back The Sheriff of Nottingham would get on the train at Basildon and steal from the poor and by the time they got to Barking gave it to the rich.
They are debating next Wednesday
That’s Dick Turpin Ronnie-and later the went up to Newcastle and invented a paint remover called Turpins Tyne solvent-so Mr Fatlyre my old history teacher told me
Here’s a novel idea, how about having no f*cking sponsorship on our crisp, beautiful, lilywhite shirt?- i’d buy one (three) of those!
Look no sponsorship?
You can buy no sponsorship shirts from us.They are 450 quid each but I have some polyester fabric at home and my wife can knock you up half a dozen for 48p each
Can i knock your wife up instead?
For 48p a go?
absolutely but please send me the cash.
Ill give her something.
You can have 4.6 goes on mine at an APR of 54678% if you opt for our favourable credit terms-but remember she can go up as well as down so buyer beware :whistle:
Eddie bloody Calvert!!!! The best inside right trumpet player this side of Stoke Newington
I see essex that you have great interest in your wife
Only when there’s an international break Ronnie
What about Old Match of the Days?
Too nostalgic???????
Nah,been there-done that-it’s called friends reunited
Man U had a match recently to remember the Munich disaster and wore shirts from 1958 (I was 6). But I thought how elegant they looked with no marketing stuff on the front. I am now going to hide in the shed in anticipation of the backlash from the free marketeers on this site.
Backlash from the free marketeers?………what are they gonna do, slash us up with their Platinum Barclycards?……….Bring it on!
The players will go back to 20 pound a week will they?? and if you dont score you will end up in the
sin bingulag?Were they on £20p.w.in 1958? That much then! And please stop playing that f*****g Eddie Calvert.
Eddie bloody Calvert!!!! The best inside right trumpet player this side of Stoke Newington…
No not £20 a week, £70.50 should be enough- it is for those on JSA (according to the
murderersGovernment).And if you don’t score you’ll end up in the
gulagGorbals!