There’s some interesting and potentially good news in the Daily Mail today for Newcastle fans, and we hope it is true, but you can never be sure, of course.
Anil Ambani – may buy Newcastle himself
The Mail reports that Anil Ambani is expected to go ahead with his interest of buying Newcastle United from current unpopular owner Mike Ashley, although the reports suggest the Indian billionaire may move to buy Newcastle himself, rather than through his telecommunications business company, Reliance Communications.
Mike Ashley has put around £230M into Newcastle since he bought the club last summer, and it is thought he would be willing to sell for anywhere north of around £260M.
Ambani, who is just 49 years old, is thought to be the sixth richest man in the world at present with a net worth of about £24B.
It would be good if these rumors are true, and certainly they don’t seem to be going away, with nobody coming out and denying them specifically, and there was news earlier this morning there will be a meeting with his people and Ashley in London, sometime this week.
We just have to hope these rumors are indeed true, and provide a way out of this nightmare for the faithful fans of the Tyneside club.
But then again the Daily Mail doesn’t have a great track record – but perhaps they’re right on this one – we hope so.
Comments welcome.
462 comments so far
Ian
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:24 PM
Comment #1Let us hope so, then Wise can be called to a meeting at St James’.
bowburnmag
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:26 PM
Comment #2I trust the Daily Mail as much as I trust the current board.
Toon Chicken
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:28 PM
Comment #3Haha – Daily mail – honestly Ed, you really should know better than now.
beyethegreat
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:28 PM
Comment #4i hope this is true then at the very least we can get some stability
p.s what type of football does deschamps play
magsie
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:29 PM
Comment #5Yeah it always seems to be The Daily Mail ffs!
Ericles
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:30 PM
Comment #6As it is the Mail it has to be taken with a pinch of salt. Hopefully Ambani will buy out Ashley and reinstate KK and Terry Mac and Sadler. In an ideal fantasy world it would be great for NUFC to be municipalised and owned by the people of Newcastle. We will never see that sort of money.
Am I right in thinking that St James Park belongs to the Council? Or that NUFC lease the ground from the council? Perhaps I have been misinformed. Leverage if we do.
51times
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:32 PM
Comment #7I want to believe this, but we all know what the daily mail are like.
michael
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:34 PM
Comment #8Hope so so then wise and ashley can P**s off and this ambani can pump in some money for some good players like arda turan and KING KEV and terry Mac can come back.
Then keegan can stick his fingers up at ashley and dennis wobbly eyes wise.
Ganiyu
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:37 PM
Comment #9Any 1 knows xisco full name
mozza
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:37 PM
Comment #10just to echoe what other people have said, i wouldn’t anything printed in the daily s**te, i agree 51times, i’d love to nelieve it, but they’ll be printing he’s not intersted in buying the club tomorrow, see the communication from the club is at its usual high standard today
Thump
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:37 PM
Comment #1151times // Sep 9, 2008 at 15:32
I want to believe this, but we all know what the daily mail are like.
paddyq
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:38 PM
Comment #12wont believe any of it until ambani comes out and says he is in fact interested. so many contradicting verions of events at the moment that its become tiring.
Irish John
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:38 PM
Comment #13they get one in every 100 stories right ..hopefully this is the one they get right…fingures crossed
happy toon
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:38 PM
Comment #14come guys…how do u know this guy is better than ashley…for all u know he might wanna turn our stadium into an amusement park…or a brothel i wouldnt put it past him…..remember big freddy…u lot were glad when ashley came in…can u see the pattern????
Midjew
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:39 PM
Comment #15This would be GREAT!
Marty
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:39 PM
Comment #16Hope this is true,
Can you imagine it!The day that Wise arse is given his marching orders and thrown out into a CROWD of angry fans—–HEE HEE
Kash
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:40 PM
Comment #17Something to have a giggle about
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/serious-concerns-over-newcastle-bosss-firm-924086.html
happy toon
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:40 PM
Comment #18ashley made the right choice…we need a football director because we keep changing managers. arsenal and manu stick to one man….
Tom
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:40 PM
Comment #19Take it with a pinch of salt, but I hope its true. Then he can bring in Terim, or Donadoni, or Zico, or Deschamps and we can go from there!! 😀
mozza
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:41 PM
Comment #20whats the betting there will still be no communication to the fans from those jokers by saturday
Ganiyu
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:42 PM
Comment #21Take overs are ment 4 clubs wit poor finance not bcos of sacked kk.im not in support of this
Obafan
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:43 PM
Comment #22Happy Toon
I hope this is true, but indeed we don’t have got any clue how he will run the club. But to do even worse than Ashley it will be very difficult.
I think that Ashley will not sell the club at all and that is a thought that I don’ t like, but I can’t help the bad feeling I have.
Canuck
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:44 PM
Comment #23This seems to be wishful thinking, but it would be wonderful justice to have Ashley and his lackies booted out. I do not care who does it. Although I was never a great fan of Keegan as a manager (although he is a wonderful guy and has great enthusian), I think Ashleys thugs seserve to be canned for the horrific disrespect they have shown the supporters, the players, the team, and the city. I truly hope for peotic justice, but I am not optimistic.
Dave Hill
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:45 PM
Comment #24Would be nice but i can`t see it.
Newcastle is a business and will have to run like a business.
Shame i know but it`s the law of the land.
hitman
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:45 PM
Comment #25obafan read kash 17 link,reet good read.
Magpie Neil
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:46 PM
Comment #26Ashley cant justify a 230 million pound price tag. He has spent f*ck all (10 million) in 2 years and banked the rest. NUFC is worth 180 million max.
Ashley is such a fat greedy cu*t it is unreal.
Any level headed business man out there is not going to line Ashleys pockets when they could pick up another premier league club for far cheaper.
So we either sit and let Ashley milk the club dry or hope that some mega rich fool will meet his asking price Caught between a rock and a hard place. What a joke!
Karltoon
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:46 PM
Comment #27Ganiyu – Jimenez Tejeda Xisco
Ganiyu
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:46 PM
Comment #28Xisco francisco wat?
IanG
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:47 PM
Comment #29Nice to hear the positive “Let us hope so” – not surprised to hear the negative too “haha the Daily Mail”
How anyone in their right mind doesn’t recognise that Ambani, DIC or anyone with sufficient resources wouldn’t be infinitely better for the club than the incompetient dishonest shower we have tryng to run the club at the moment.
If not Ambani, I wouldn’t despair though football is big business now and there will be many others.
The Entertainers
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:47 PM
Comment #30Wouldnt it be for the best all round !
Cooper
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:47 PM
Comment #31Cmon son stick your arabian finger out
Toon_Ksk
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:49 PM
Comment #32Not again. Of course, this is what I hope for but fact is, this is all speculation.
51times
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:53 PM
Comment #33Cooper – He’s Indian.
beessi-kosovo
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:57 PM
Comment #34hmmm maybe no-one loved arabian but in football now everbody wants them to buy his team
Obafan
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:57 PM
Comment #35hitman
Sorry what are you trying to say with you post 25.
Born Again Geordie
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:58 PM
Comment #36If only this were in The Times then it may have a bit of credibility!!! But here is hoping anyway !!!
toooooonfan
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:59 PM
Comment #37TOM
WHAT ABOUT KEEGAN OR SHEARER
hitman
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:59 PM
Comment #38click on the link in comment 17…
ANON
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:59 PM
Comment #39That would be a first, the cowboys being ousted by the Indians!!
And Mike Ashley wants to get into Hollywood…….see the link……….seemless!!!
IanG
Sep 9, 2008 at 3:59 PM
Comment #40The present value of the club is irrelevant. What is offfered for the club will reflect the assets of the business of course but as important is the perceived value of the club in the future.
This will be a product of the marketing and development plans prospective new owners have. For example the Man City owners have plans to spin the Man City “brand” as far as possible and to work hard to build a worldwide fanbase.
In Newcastle Utd.’s case we already have an advantage with a strong domestic and international fanbase on which to build. This will have tangible value which will be reflected in how prospective owners view the opportunity and value the business.