The Times of India is reporting today that Reliance Communications head Anil Ambani is still keen on taking over Newcastle United, and then bring back former manager Kevin Keegan for the third time to St James Park.
Kevin Keegan - Ambanai wants Newcastle and maestro installed back as manager
Reports said Ambani’s representatives will travel to England on Monday to start negotiations with the Premier League club owner Mike Ashley, who is not one of the Newcastle fans’ favorite people right now for forcing Keegan out.
But we don’t know if Ashley will be back from the US by then, but we’d expect him to be, and of course he will be nowhere near Newcastle, but down at his London base.
The Sunday Mail is reporting:
“He (Ashley) is ready to sell (the club) with talks planned with the Reliance Communications Group led by Indian businessman Anil Ambani on Monday,”
“Billionaire Ambani is the sixth richest man in the world with a personal wealth estimated at £21B. He and his group plan to take control of a Premier League club and look for new revenue streams in the Indian market, with Newcastle considered ripe for the taking due to their current instability and Ashley’s careful book-keeping,”
But we are wary and there’s no real proof this report in the Mail is true, because it’s obvious that one way Ashley could go is to sell, and to sell quickly to get himself out of this mess.
But there is no real indication from Ashley about anything, since he’s said nothing at all about the events of last week - as usual.
Officials of India’s biggest telecom company, have also already denied that such a move is about to happen.
Gaurav Wahi, Reliance Communications head of Corporate Communications dismissed any such plans by his company to take over the Premier League club.
“We have denied this earlier and we have no plans to take over Newcastle United or any other English club. All these media reports are inaccurate,”
The Sunday Express today is reporting the following:
“If Ambani can close the £300M deal, then don’t rule out a sensational move to reinstate Keegan. Ambani knows that restoring Keegan to the job would placate a Toon army in revolt,”
“Ambani, whose personal fortune is estimated at £20B, is anxious to join the growing band of foreign owners who seemingly have mountains of money to throw at the Premier League,” the report said.
“Newcastle is his first choice - and negotiations have been going on behind the scenes at the club Ashley bought in July 2007 for £130M.
“But Ambani won’t wait for an answer from Ashley forever. He is determined to own a Premier League club as soon as possible and splash more transfer cash than Ashley,”
Most Newcastle fans hope this is true, but until we hear something, about what Ashley is going to do, we’ll have to wait and see.
One indicator is whether Ashley will move quickly to install a new manager before next Saturday, and the home game with Hull City, and if he does, that would suggest he plans to keep the club.
Comments welcome.
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52 responses so far ↓
1 HATE PRAWN SANDWICHES // Sep 7, 2008 at 11:58
A public outcry for a decent solicitor who’s a Toon fan and know’s he sh*t about public demonstration would be ideal.
13/09/2008 CENTRAL STATION THROUGH NEWCASTLE CITY CENTRE TO SJP!!
MEETING 12 (NOON) SET OFF AT 12.30 /1PM
PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION
PLEASE LET AS MANY FANS KNOW AS POSSIBLE AND ANY EXTRA HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED!!!
2 Toon Daft // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:01
God, I pray this takeover goes through - I WANT ANIL…. AMBANI
3 Steven // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:01
Ashley made Wise in charge of transfers so he doesn’t have to spend any money at the club. He has absolutely no ambition for the club, why does he just not sell?
The club will battle for survival under AShley, which is a disgrace!!!
i disagreed at first but: ASHLEY OUT!!
4 ashleys wallets cobwebs // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:03
ill help any way you want as much as i can, just tell me what you want me to do
5 ashleys wallets cobwebs // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:06
Lets get this cancer out of our club and make sure they never return
6 Fans Should Own the Club // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:07
Toon Daft and other Friends–
Protests, boycotts and new ownership are all good ideas to be considered and worked on at the beginning. And thanks to all who are working on them (HPS, notably–you’re busting your ass to make this march happen…)
But a new billionaire owner will be as unaccountable as the current and former money men. THEY JUST DON’T CARE ABOUT THE CLUB. They treat it as a cash machine–an investment in a business. The don’t care about what we care about.
During and after these immediate actions, we should think bigger and more creatively for the longer term.
I haven’t checked out this site fully, but it’s looks like the first big step in FAN OWNERSHIP. Please, check it out.
http://www.savenewcastle.com/index.html
Fan ownership is not a fairy tale. It’s done all over Europe and it can be done here.
Many respond to this by saying “We can’t afford 4,000 pounds for a membership,” but there must be other ways to get mass memberships–perhaps memberships at different price levels.
No more unaccountable money men.
FANS SHOULD OWN THE CLUB.
7 happy toon // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:14
o o o o o o o ….i know pick me, pick me. He can sell up and fu*k off!
8 carl // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:17
what is making me giggle is that the press are having a field day with this statement, and its a joke.keep digging mr ashley
9 beyethegreat // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:18
fans should own the club- if we could own the club would we be able to compete in the transfer market and also is it realy poosible for example liverpool fans are trying the same thing but tit looks as though they are struggling and they have more fans than us and arguably just as if not mre passion asswell
10 Turkish magpie // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:19
hope its true the weird thing is on some betting sites the favourite to take over keegan at newcastle is keegan ,that could suggest ambani is going to take over and give keegan his job back
11 MAG PIE // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:20
We’ve got COWBOYS running our club
Let’s hope the INDIANS ride to the rescue!
12 Archie Brand // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:20
Why is it necessary to take this demo onto the streets?
What can be achieved there that cannot be done by, say, boycotting the game?
What happens in SJP is what counts and what will ultimately affect Ashley.
Boycott the match, dont buy anything at the ground, dont buy anything from his shops in town.
Its essential that you dont over-react by screwing up traffic in town - all you achieve there is p!ssing people off who may otherwise have supported you.
Boycott the match! Comments were made when only 47,000 turned up for the last game - what would get the message over better than less than 30,000 turning up for Hull
You need some kind of co-ordination - its no good everybody doing different things. Some marching, some chanting, some staying away.
A boycott takes very little arranging, costs nothing and you dont get wet.
Keep it simple lads
13 HATE PRAWN SANDWICHES // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:21
ALL I CAN SAY LADS IS IF YOU KNOW ANY SOLICITORS PLEASE GET ADVICE ON HOW THE BEST WAY WE CAN DO THIS!!
CONTACT NEWSPAPERS, OTHER WEBSITES!! TALK TO OUR FANS!!
WE NEED TV SUPPORT SO SKY ETC!!
JUST HELP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!
WE’LL SHOW THE FOOTBALL WORLD WHY WE ARE THE BEST FANS IN THE WORLD!!
14 phoonCK // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:23
why dont ASShley just go..
he’s a pain in the ass..
as for the boycotting of the Hull City game, i urge the fans, who are thinking of doing so, not to, as it will do no help but to drag the players further into turmoil. the players are innocent, please help them gain back some confidence and play with their heart and soul in the match.
just demonstrate after the match and/or boycott the retail shops under ASShley’s wing will do.
my 2cents worth
15 beyethegreat // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:24
hate prawn sandwiches- realy best fans in the world? ok we have good fans but best in the world what about pompey or loverpool or even further afield like fenerbahce or gala or in south america like boca or river
16 MAG PIE // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:25
I just wish Ed would give us a poll so we can all see what is the favoured protest option
I support the march
The whole City, I believe would support it and be willing to put up with the inconvenience
Shearer, Robson are against a boycott. That’s good enough for me.
17 Tom // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:27
Takeover please! I think, however, bringing back Keegan would be a mistake. I like the players that the evil triumvirate have brought in, and the players Keegan was rumoured (I stress rumoured) to be looking at bringing in scare me, frankly.
18 dave v // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:27
The stories started in the evening chronicle from our friend anal oliver, this does not mean they are incorrect but I suspect anal’s motivation is merely to increase publication of the chronic.
Ashley is and always has been asset stripping the club that’s why he needed unwise in to block Kevin’s attempts to bring in top players.
Ashley wants to sell anything he can to maximize profit from a sale, this includes everything from players down to the bloody light bulbs at SJP.
He was hoping to walk away after asset stripping our club with a tidy little profit of 100 million.
Kevin knew this and has brought it into the public so he cannot sell the club for much more than he bought it for.
Keep the pressure on lads and get him out fast.
19 mozza // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:29
i think ashley’s silence may be a sign he wants to sell the club or i would imagine he would have come out with a humble statement to try to get us back on board, not the antagonistic pile of horse manure that came out yesterday, which, if the truth br told has only incited an already baying mob even more, i’m there on saturday with some family and friends hps, gota stand up for what you believe in or you will forever be treated like a mug punter, the way ffs tretaed us and now the way this bunch of clowns are treating us, however this time i believe is different, we’ve been made to look like a laughing stock once to often, enough is enough
20 aussie magpie // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:31
have you all read about ashley’s 125,000 pound drunken champagne spending spre in new york! wat a fucken idiot!!!
so he thinks its ok to spend as much money as he likes gambeling and drinking, but when it comes to the welfare of our club he couldn’t give a shit!! i am sick to death of him!!
sell the club you fat cockney to someone who cares about pur club!
21 mozza // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:35
dave v, anal will be loving this as ashley and co have given him nothing since they arrived, he will milk this and stir it up as much as he can to try to entice a sale, so he has a chance of getting onside with some new owners and actually printing a story that contains a piece other than something about his love child steven taylor
22 HATE PRAWN SANDWICHES // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:35
or is he just so far up his own asre that he doesn’t care what the fans think or want!! He knows better!?? right!!!
23 aussie magpie // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:36
I am sure you have all read about his night out in new york, spending 125,000 pounds on alcohol.
so he thinks it is ok to spend as much money as he likes on gambeling and a drinking, but the welfare of our cub dosen’t matter to him.
sell up you stupid fat cockney to someone who actually cares about our football club!
24 mozza // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:38
could have a point there hps
25 beyethegreat // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:43
no mozza hps definately has a point there
26 mozza // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:50
fair enough beyethegreat, we’ll see how he reacts to saturdays protest, i’m putting of a weekend away for this, unless of course the amazing happens and he sells to the indians by then, heres hoping
27 happy toon // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:51
WE’RE DOMINATING THE BACK PAGES LADS…LET’S DO THE SAME WITH THE FRONT. DEMAND FOR ASHLEY TO SPEAK TO US…I KNOW HE’S HAVING A BLAST IN A BROTHEL SOMEWHERE….BUT SURELY HE COULD GIVE US A MIN….CALL FOR ASHLEY TO COME OUT OUT HIDDING DURING THE GAME! LET’S NOT GET TOOO PERSONAL.
28 mozza // Sep 7, 2008 at 12:54
yep for once i hope for the sensationalistic headlines in the tabloids front and back page, it can only increase pressure on this goon to sell, there is no way back for him and his cronies
29 UNITED GLENN // Sep 7, 2008 at 13:00
WE ARE ALL STILL VERY MUCH SUPPORTERS OF NEWCASTLE UNITED AND IT”S PLAYING STAFF AND MANAGER (EX KK) AND TERRY McD ETC….BUT NOT OF THE BOARD (ASHLEY WISE AND CO) SO THE PLAYERS KNOW WE SUPPORT THEM, THEY TOO ARE THINKING OF A MASS TRANSFER REQUEST….SO TO BOYCOTT THE HULL GAME TOTALLY WILL HURT ASHLEY, BOYCOTT HIS SHOPS (INC TOON SHOPS…AND ANY MERCANDISE TO DO WITH TOON) DRINKS ETC AT THE GROUND IF ANYONE DOES GO…..AND IN BOYCOTTING GAME, GO TO GROUND AND PROTEST OUTSIDE OF THE GROUND AT THE END OF THE MATCH.
THE PLAYERS KNOW WE ONLY WANT WHAT IS BEST FOR THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wHICH IS ASHLEY OUT ALONG WITH HIS PRETENDERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
COME ON NEWCASTLE HOWAY THE LADS….BUT PISS OFF ASHLEY AND CO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
30 happy toon // Sep 7, 2008 at 13:04
DO WE HAVE A BIG CUT OUT OF ASHLEY???
31 Fans Should Own the Club // Sep 7, 2008 at 13:05
Beyethegreat–good points and fair questions.
Barcelona are fan owned and they’re one of the greatest clubs in the history of the game. They certainly can compete in the transfer market.
Yes, Liverpool’s effort seems to be struggling, but I wish them success and success for us too!
It can be done. It’s not a fairy tale. It takes work, imagination and dedication. Newcastle fans are capable of all of these.
http://www.savenewcastle.com/index.html
FANS SHOULD OWN THE CLUB.
32 happy toon // Sep 7, 2008 at 13:08
EITHER HE DOESN’T CARE OR HE HAS NO IDEA WHAT’S GOING ON….WHO SPENDS £125,000 ON DRINKS AT A TIME LIKE THIS….WHAT EXACTLY WAS HE CELEBRATING….I DIDN’T MISS A SPECIAL OCCASSION DID I?
33 happy toon // Sep 7, 2008 at 13:10
IF THE FANS OWN THE CLUB….HOW WILL WE DECIDE ON TRANSFERS? WHO GETS THE FINAL SAY?
34 Coloccini's Curls // Sep 7, 2008 at 13:22
We are being run by the London Mafia!!!!!!!!! Get the cockney tw**s out!!!!!!!!!!!
Ambani you have are full support behind you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
35 UNITED GLENN // Sep 7, 2008 at 13:22
WE ELECT A BOARD, JUST LIKE REAL MADRID AND BARCALONA…
36 UNITED GLENN // Sep 7, 2008 at 13:22
SORRY BARCELONA
37 UNITED GLENN // Sep 7, 2008 at 13:24
Coloccini’s Curls …close mate it is more like the COCKNEY TERRORISTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
38 ashleys wallets cobwebs // Sep 7, 2008 at 13:24
HATE PRAWN SANDWICHES
your first port of call should be the police, let them know what is happening so they can get organised with traffic etc, i will help in anyway i can, i am going to leave emails at all the local newspapers to ask for help and make people aware , just need to confirm the details with you before i send it.
39 KK FOREVER (Ross) // Sep 7, 2008 at 13:38
howay armani come and save us.
40 Fans Should Own the Club // Sep 7, 2008 at 13:39
Happytoon–thanks for the question. It’s a good one.
I have to stress the site I’m linking to here is NOT MINE. It’s just the first serious looking attempt at NUFC fan ownership. This is what their plan says. Remember, too, that they state they’re willing to change plans and solve problems as they arise.
“We propose a fan owned non profit company that would reinvest all profits earned back into the club. That means every pound you spend on the club will be reinvest back into the team. The club would be run by a board of directors elected by supporters who purchased shares in the non profit company. These directors would face regular rotation and reelection. An oversight committee of 50 elected members would also keep close eye on the direction and finances of the club. Only the position of chairman of the board would be a paid position.
No individual would be allowed to own more that 1% of the proposed companies shares. This would prevent any individual from gaining a controlling interest in the club. The shares of the club would not be an investment and could only be sold back to the club at a price not to exceed the purchase value the share plus inflation. Also in the unlikely event the supporter owned company agrees to sell the club all proceeds will be given to local charities. These measures will ensure that the share owners are true supporters and not mere speculators.
Initially the non profit company would be split into 5 million shares. 3 million of those shares will be sold at 200 pounds a piece. This money will be temporarily held by a third party bank and will be used to buy the club from its current owners. If we are able to successfully purchase the club the remaining shares will be sold at an increased price over the next several years to raise funds for improvements to the club on and off the pitch.
This proposal will not only have the same short term benefits of being bought out by a “benevolent” billionaire, but would also create the long term stability Newcastle United has lacked for so long.
41 Fans Should Own the Club // Sep 7, 2008 at 13:41
United Glenn–I don’t know who gets the final say in Barca’s transfers. Is it the board? But surely the manager has final say.
FANS SHOULD OWN THE CLUB.
42 xfer // Sep 7, 2008 at 13:43
I’ve read report that MA would only be back after the Hull game. Hope its not wrong. He needs to sort this mess out.
43 TOONADDICT // Sep 7, 2008 at 13:44
I hope this is true!!!!! imagine 150 mill to spend!!!
44 Si // Sep 7, 2008 at 13:45
Agree with earlier comment. The sixth richest man in the world will have even less affinity with the club than Ash. He will bring back Keegan with a shed load of money, but the club will not be run on a sustainable basis. Surely that is the objective. Get rid of Owen on £100,000 + wages, it’s obscene.
45 Mick_Bell // Sep 7, 2008 at 13:59
the sunday sun (terrible paper) is talking about the possibility of zola as being approached for the managers job! Probably as much toss as linking us with poyet just cause he has worked with wise before, but still……an interesting thought!
46 dave v // Sep 7, 2008 at 14:00
Mozza I like the bit about anals love child, very funny.
Lets take a good look at Ambani and compare with Ashley.
Ashley is an asset stripper as I think by now has become self-evident.
Ambani who is a media mogul, get it mogul? He is alleged to want into the premiership to stimulate football interest in the sub continent and hence prfits through his media interests.
For this reason he is not likely to strip assets out of our club. On the contrary he will demand we are fighting for the cups in both the English and the continental competitions.
Ashley is a scavenger, a rat if you like looking for easy meal.
Ambani is an entrepreneur a builder of communications and at the centre of his group is the desire to entertain through his media.
He needs a vehicle for this and what better than the Keegan lead entertainers.
But first we need the rats out so don’t drop your guards.
47 micepie // Sep 7, 2008 at 14:16
It could also be, by the way, that MA will just see the current ‘crisis” as just a blip in his long term plans, that no one will buy out the club and MA will continue his plans as fans’ protests eventually die away. I don’t know.
One thing I do hope is that we get a positive attack-minded manager/s and that - if the above does turn out to be true - that MA at least gradually injects a little more cash into transfers.
48 Si // Sep 7, 2008 at 14:17
Dave V, how is Ash an asset striper; tell me what assets have been stripped. All Ash is doing is puting the club on a sustainable footing unlike the previous regimes; and what is the point in going for Lamps, Becks etc, overpaid overage stars, we need to go down the Wenger route. Money does not buy success, it takes time for players to gel.
49 jettson // Sep 7, 2008 at 14:21
Boycott Yes, but we must support the team, we love NUFC we need to show solid support for the players, we have to get 3 points first, support the players, then have a go at MA, DL and the dwarf, buy nothing in the ground, but support the team 1st!!! KK would want that!!
50 happy toon // Sep 7, 2008 at 14:23
CAN ANYONE SPARE £300M??…..COZ I WANT TO BUY NEWCASTLE
WHO WATCHED KHAN VS PRESCOTT???
51 micepie // Sep 7, 2008 at 14:28
p.s - also, if the MA and crew regime is blown out of the water, I still think we’ll be grateful in time for all the youngsters we’ve bought (unless a new regime/manager is stupid enough to sell them).
I only partly agree with a lot of fans posts on here because I think the MA set-up and plan is both bad and good. For a start, I would think that Adam Sadler could help with the continual recruitment of young players and Wise can leave.
52 Ashingtoon62 // Sep 7, 2008 at 15:21
Happy Toon I v`e got £150 million I could lend you.
R.E The fight,went for a quick slash,came back he was flat oot!!!!!!!!
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