We support the 1892 Pledge campaign...

On 8 April 2021 the Newcastle United Supporters Trust launched perhaps the most ambitions supporter based initiative of not just a generation but in the clubs history.

Under the banner of '1892Pledge' the Trust, who have rapidly become the singular most important voice for fans following a concerted effort to professionalise themselves over recent years, are asking Newcastle United fans from across the world to join forces and donate a little (or a lot) in a one off payment (or ideally by monthly Direct Debit) based on what any fan can afford. A little pocket change you won't miss!

The mission statement is clear. To raise enough money for us, the fans, to own a little part of the club at some point in the future when it is finally sold. If sold as a Premier League entity the the proportion of the club bought would be just 1% if the Trust can raise £3m. If, god forbid, we tumble down the league then that percentage would be much bigger.

£3m sounds like a lot right! But if every fan normally in SJP on a match day was to donate just £5 a month for a year, that's £3.1m. We can do this!

You can donate HERE

In fact the size of the stake, to some degree, is irrelevant. It is our 'voice' that counts.

It is the chance for the life blood of our club, the FANS, to have even a small voice in how our club might be run in the future.

And if all else fails, the money (under the care of 4 appointed trustees including our own Warren Barton and a City Councillor) will be donated to charities across the North East. Now we don't even live in the North East anymore but we love the region so that suits us just fine.

And that's why we are giving the campaign our full backing.

When Mike Ashley strutted into Tyneside, having acquired Newcastle United from John Hall and Freddy Shepherd for the princely sum of £135m, in the July of 2007, perhaps things 'might' have been different if he'd had a fan's conscience around his top table.

You only have to look at some of the quite staggering decisions made by Mike Ashely and his team to see what can be done without us...

• Naming St James Park the ‘Sports Direct Arena';

• The red and blue Sports Direct logos on every visitable inch of flat surface in the stadium;

• The renaming of Shearers Bar to ‘Nine’;

• The appointment of Dennis Wise as Director of Football?!;

• The staggering appointment of Joe Kinnear???!;

• The sale of the land behind St James Park preventing development of the ground;

• Letting Rafa leave (the straw that broke the camels back for many, including WorFlags walking away);

• The appointment of Steve Bruce;

• The continued blatant disregard in communicating ANYTHING to fans;

• The dealing with season ticket money during COVID.

Of course, it is going to take a better owner than Mike Ashely to care about what the fans think. Someone who cares for the club at all, rather than as an asset on a balance sheet would be a great start.

But when that day comes, and Ashley does sell, what better way for us demonstrate our desire to be represented around the top table than in offering to buy a stake in the club. With the ability to veto any decision as a majority shareholder anyway, a new owner would be mad to resist.

And that is why we are putting our weight fully behind this campaign, why we've already donated to the 1892 Pledge and why we will continue to do so.

Join the Newcastle United Supporters Trust HERE