How Newcastle fans can ensure Rafael Benítez stays on Tyneside

With Benítez entering contract negotiations and the club remaining up for sale, Newcastle United are entering what feels like an era-defining Summer for the club. Given the feel-good factor which is reverberating throughout the fanbase, it is tempting to ignore how sour things could turn by September. No investment, Ashley staying, Rafa departing, Lascelles following, and mediocre yes-men being shipped in to replace them both. This is wholly possible given Ashley’s track record, and is a scenario which would leave us supporting a very different football club.  As the club approaches these crossroads, it is easy to downplay our influence as fans over events to that of the idle spectator. However, as elections take place throughout the country, it is vital to remind ourselves of the power we hold as a collective to sway those in power. To understand how we can do this in the context of Newcastle United, we must first look to last June.

During the fans forum, Lee Charnley publicly asserted the club would ‘strengthen positions identified by the manager’, then failed to stay true to his word in the transfer window. By September, the squad looked thin and the manager felt frustrated – “(Ashley) knows what he told me”. Despite this, Benítez didn’t walk out of respect for the fanbase, and carried the Championship squad to mid-table. I can’t see him doing the same again. Given that Summer, Rafa is understandably apprehensive over extending his current contract beyond the year which remains, and will demand ironclad assurances over the budget before doing so.

Nearly a year on at last week’s fans forum, we’ve seen a reversion to familiar spiel; ‘we can’t compete with Champions League clubs’, ‘we made offers to buy players in January’, ‘discussions over the transfer budget are ongoing’, and a general swerving of questions only matched by politicians. The frustration caused by these statements is only exacerbated by the results Benítez has produced at previous clubs on a modest budget. He’s rarely relied upon marquee signings in the past, and wouldn't require huge funds to ensure we really kick on. If he can get us top half with a Championship budget, imagine what we he could do with one to match Bournemouth or Crystal Palace, never mind one which reflects the club’s revenue. Currently, the board aren’t willing to give assurances over the club’s ambition or budget. As a result, both fans and manager are left frustrated, which is shown in the lack of progress over Rafa’s contract negotiations. If the club’s current attitude continues, it is a very real possibility Benítez will leave in favour of a club which can matches his ambition.

This brings us to deciding the role fans have to play in ensuring this doesn’t happen. In the past, we’ve tried waving banners, chanting, and the occasional protest to force Ashley’s hand. None of these have truly affected the man, as all he cares about is money and the bottom line. That is why fans must engage on his terms, and vote with their wallets. Delaying season ticket renewal until Benítez has renewed his contract will demonstrate we are united with the manager, giving him huge leverage in negotiations and securing budget assurances. In recent years, we have been over-televised in the context of our league position and style of play, with 19 televised games this season and 16 in 2015-16. Will Sky bother to broadcast so many games if the ground is half empty? I doubt it. The threat to lower attendances is the only thing fans possess which genuinely scares Mike Ashley. In my opinion, it is our only hope to change the Board's strategy, and align their interests with that of the manager and fan-base. It's time to back our manager.

@alanofthenorth's Mag article first got me thinking about this - you can check it out here: https://bit.ly/2riqLEj