Talk:Mike Ashley (businessman)/Archive 1

Request for wholesale editing
The majority of the latter half of this article is peppered with tittle-tattle and petty carping, and is not worthy of an entry in Wikipedia. It has obviously been the subject of vandalism. The whole article should be thoroughly edited by an impartial Wikipedia editor and then appropriately protected.

Industry
I see from the article that Mr Ashley "never attended industry". What does this mean? Millbanks (talk) 18:45, 14 September 2008 (UTC)

Meeting Wikipedia's notability guidelines
The section includsing the passage: "The wearing of this shirt has caused controversy due to the recently contested Tyne-Wear derby, with Sunderland AFC unhappy about giving him permission to wear it in the Stadium of Light corporate box. On the 9 November 2007, the day before the game, it was announced on the clubs official website that Ashley would sit in the away end with the Newcastle United fans so he could wear the club's colours. The game ended in a 1-1 draw. At half time, stewards at the stadium stopped him from buying a pint of lager for every Newcastle fan in the away end." is puerile and does not meet Wikipedia's notability guidelines. It is therefore likely to be deleted. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Colin marks (talk • contribs) 07:35, 6 December 2007 (UTC)
 * Not at all. You are confusing the puerility of the behaviour referenced (abusing people for wearing the "wrong" football shirt) with the cultural significance of the subject matter. Ashley's style of football club chairmanship indicates a notable shift in British culture, and should be noted by Wikipedia, as it has been on a regular basis by just about every major British media company. Honbicot (talk) 16:24, 8 September 2008 (UTC)

General
Grammatical error in "Sports Direct" section. "Factory's" needs to be replaced with "factories". — Preceding unsigned comment added by Core1911 (talk • contribs) 21:42, 16 September 2012 (UTC)

Come on, Geordies, lets not make ourselves look like idiots here. 128.240.229.6 14:20, 23 May 2007 (UTC)

"the only photos that exist of Ashley to the present day are from the 1970's" Surely other photos exist, on the Ashley mantelpiece for example? Needs revision?Edjack 14:21, 23 May 2007 (UTC)

There is some vandalism of this page right now. As a Newcastle fan, it's too early to do stuff like this. No one knows anything about. Cut it out. Boils 14:54, 23 May 2007 (UTC)

Page has been protected. I doubt it was just Geordies doing the vandalism, looking at some of the edits. Sir-Nobby 15:11, 23 May 2007 (UTC)

This article verges on plagiarism - it's a poor rewrite of the Guardian piece. Should be pulled http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,1939406,00.html

The comments on his purchase of Newcastle united are highly bias, and should be edited to reflect a more neutral view. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 172.202.13.102 (talk) 12:48, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

The last paragraph has some very contentious allegations against Joe Kinnear with no factual detail or references, so should be rewritten or removed. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 121.99.64.50 (talk) 19:44, 5 May 2014 (UTC)

The final paragraph has the word 'unopopular' which should be changed to 'unpopular'. Please excuse my pedantry — unregistered user, 14 September 2014

Factual error
It's a minor point, but Mike Ashley was born in Walsall, Staffordshire (before 01/04/1974) - NOT Burnham in Buckinghamshire. He moved to Burnham at an early age and was brought up and educated there. —Preceding unsigned comment added by OldSaddler (talk • contribs) 07:10, 15 September 2008 (UTC)

Newcastle's relgation
Surely it is worth mentioning that under Mike Ashley's ownership Newcastle were relegated from the Premiership in the 2008-09 season and will play in the second tier of English football for the first time in 16 years —Preceding unsigned comment added by Philip861 (talk • contribs) 21:41, 24 May 2009 (UTC)

Ashley's public image
Hi, I think it's important to add a reference to how Ashley's public image has been tarnished during his ownership of Newcastle. He has gone from one of the most highly praised businessmen (when he revealed price fixing of footie shirts) to what is now generally a ridiculed figure in the national press. This is not about repeating insults but refering to how his public percieved image has gone downhill fast. Please could members help expand this part of his biography without reverting to petty name calling or other unsubstantiated controversial content. Thanks. --The Mercenary 73 (talk) 21:46, 13 July 2009 (UTC)
 * I don't think there needs to be a separate section on his public image, I think a reader should be able to understand his public image and how it changed by reading the article. I have rearranged it slightly so that it more closely follows the manual of style and also seems a bit more logical. I do think it needs a bit more of the positive stuff added, but it also badly needs to be referenced from better quality third-party sources. Are there any biographies available? Regards, Woody (talk) 21:57, 13 July 2009 (UTC)
 * I think trying to find positive stuff will be nearly impossible at the moment, if you are looking for unbiased biographies I think you'll find this an impossible task. Could the best thing be to use a biased source, say NUFC.com (which is regarded very highly) and remove or re-style the article in a more unbiased form? Also does the page reflect how seriously his public image has deteriorated to such a level that the written press ridicules him? This is pretty plain to see and should be easily referenced on various newspaper websites, unlike his rumoured dwindleing fortune which is hear-say and certainly unverifiable. Cheers,--The Mercenary 73 (talk) 23:27, 13 July 2009 (UTC)
 * I found an interesting article about Ashley, in it, it reports criticism Ashley has recieved from an ex-Newcastle player. Now this does contravene some aspects of controversial BLP but is an indication on what the public feeling towards Ashley is, and as long as it is written without a sensationalist approach shouldn't it be added. What do other editors think of this? —Preceding unsigned comment added by The Mercenary 73 (talk • contribs) 23:27, 21 July 2009 (UTC)

Another factual error
In the 'Whistleblower' paragraph, Dave Whelan is stated as 'the founder of JJB Sports'. He isn't.

JJB Sports was founded by J.J. Broughton, not Dave Whelan. He bought the store as a going concern. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.239.90.16 (talk) 20:53, 17 September 2012 (UTC)

Year of birth
It's noted widely his year of birth is 1963 online (under official Director information) and not 1964 or 1965, as stated on the profile page. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.24.19.217 (talk) 15:24, 2 December 2012 (UTC)

Where are you seeing this "official Director information"? Bopalula (talk) 11:19, 4 December 2012 (UTC)

Apostrophe error
"...to properly represent fan's views to any future board."

The apostrophe is in the wrong place and the above line should read as,

"...to properly represent fans' views to any future board."

The apostrophe. It's NOT rocket science. It's simple grammar.

Personal life
"He is known to prefer casual dress of shirt and chinos or a track suit over a suit, and often carries his essential business tool of a mobile phone in a plastic carrier bag over a brief case."

Makes it sound like he carries his mobile phone and briefcase in a carrier bag. Plus I'm pretty sure he doesn't layer his track suit over his suit.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/ashley-i-stand-with-the-newcastle-fans-because-thats-what-ive-always-done-13960661.html

137.205.138.234 (talk) 00:58, 31 March 2011 (UTC)

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Semi-protected edit request on 13 October 2015
Change Nottinghamshire based business to Derbyshire based business - Shirebrook is in Derbyshire

81.156.176.245 (talk) 19:12, 13 October 2015 (UTC)
 * Yes check.svg Done Thank you. --Stabila711 (talk) 21:19, 14 October 2015 (UTC)